Formula 1 often feels like a high-speed game of musical chairs - the only constant is change. And it’s not just the 20 fastest drivers who are part of the shuffle; the entire team behind them, from engineers to strategists, is always in motion. 

The latest major move? Adrian Newey - widely considered the most valuable man in F1 - has made the surprising switch from Red Bull to Aston Martin. It’s a key part of Lawrence Stroll’s ambitious plan to bring Aston Martin to the front of the grid. Newey, a pioneer of the ground-effect era, is in high demand for good reason. His hefty price tag is justified, especially with all eyes on the upcoming 2026 regulation changes. He’s not the first big name to change teams ahead of this new era, and he certainly won’t be the last.

2025 is set to be one of the most pivotal years in Formula 1, but what piques my interest most is the rise of a new contender - Kimi Antonelli. He took the motorsport world by storm in late 2023 after clinching both the Formula Regional Middle East and European Championships. Signed with Prema for the 2024 Formula 2 season as a Mercedes-AMG Junior Driver, Antonelli has been fast-tracked as a future star. Yet, the F1 world was sent into shock on 2 February, when 7-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton announced his departure from Mercedes-AMG for a seat at Ferrari. Mercedes, still reeling from that unforgettable night in Abu Dhabi 2021, struggled to regain dominance after the zero-sidepod concept - once heralded as radical - backfired in the 2022 season. 

Feeling his feedback was no longer valued, Hamilton decided it was time to pursue his elusive eighth World Championship under the guidance of former junior-series boss Fred Vasseur at Ferrari. This seismic move left a seat open at Mercedes - a vacancy no one saw coming.

A seat at Mercedes-AMG is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Toto Wolff knew the stakes were high. After missing his chance to sign Max Verstappen in his early career, Wolff was determined to future-proof his line-up for the 2026 regulations. George Russell was already secured - but who would fill t