F1 star announces 2025 CHANGE in official team statement

A Formula 1 star has confirmed a change for the 2025 season ahead of their move to join a new team.

With just three races left in 2024, teams across the grid are looking ahead to next year, making brutal decisions over driver lineup changes and contract signings.

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As things stand ahead of Vegas, Mclaren look set to take home their first constructors' title since 1998, having knocked reigning champions Red Bull off the top spot earlier this season.

McLaren's stellar driver duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri has proved the importance of consistency from a driver lineup in F1, Red Bull's drop down to third in the standings in part a result of the below-par performances their second driver Sergio Perez has put in this season.

Having not stepped on the podium for Christian Horner's outfit since the Chinese GP back in April, Perez has trailed far behind team-mate Max Verstappen, the Dutchman single-handedly providing points for his team at times.

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Alpine star reveals new race number

Despite Perez having signed a new contract with Red Bull earlier this season, rumours have been swirling around the paddock of his replacement following the recent string of disappointing performances.

Among the names thrown into the mix has been RB star Liam Lawson, with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko admitting the young star and his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda were both auditioning for the main seat alongside Verstappen with their performances at the junior team this year.

In a shock turn of events however, Williams rookie Franco Colapinto has reportedly been brought into the mix at Red Bull as well as Alpine, with the team refusing to comment on rumours that they are interested in the young Argentine racer, despite having confirmed their 2025 lineup of Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly.

The team's official driver duo for next season consist of a strong mix of youth and experience, with Doohan, son of five-time 500cc motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, already creating a buzz around his entry to the pinnacle of motorsport.

The Aussie racer has worked his way up the ranks with successful stints in F3 and F2 and in 2022, switched from the Red Bull Junior Team, where he had been since 2017, to the Alpine Academy, before stepping up as the French outfit's reserve in 2023.

The team have now promoted him to their main F1 lineup and in true Vegas fashion ahead of this weekend's blockbuster GP, announced via social media that Doohan will be racing with the lucky number seven.

In a video posted to the team's account on social media platform 'X', Doohan revealed: "So that’s it, number seven will be my race number for 2025. Super psyched, I really wanted to go with a number that I raced with before, something that had meaning to me.

"I raced with number seven in 2019 and also one of my idols, a super special person and driver Kimi Raikkonen who also drove with that number. I’m really looking forward to continuing it on and making it my own and yeah, getting some luck from number seven."

Drawing #7 for 2025 😎

We’re looking forward to seeing 7️⃣ on the A525 🤙 pic.twitter.com/KG0yrwNfu3

— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) November 22, 2024

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