F1 star’s major EXIT revealed as team-mate confirms departure

bahrain, sergio perez, daniel ricciardo, lando norris, carlos sainz, max verstappen — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 star’s major EXIT revealed as team-mate confirms departure

This F1 team have switched up their lineup ahead of the 2025 season

By Kerry Violet.

Thursday 20 February 2025 16:00

The new team-mate of one of Formula 1's successful stars has confirmed a major departure ahead of their first season racing alongside one another.

The 2025 F1 championship is set to get underway in less than a month at the Australian Grand Prix, where fans will see all new driver lineups compete for the first time after some huge team switches last season.

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Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will make his highly anticipated public racing debut with Ferrari after the iconic Italian team opted to sign the British icon and drop Spanish driver Carlos Sainz.

As a result, Sainz has switched to Williams F1 team on a long-term contract and will join new team-mate Alex Albon in 2025, with fans eager to see how the Spanish star handles racing without his red overalls for the first time in Melbourne.

Williams started last season with the driver duo of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant but after fifteen rounds of the championship and one costly crash too many, Albon's American team-mate was dropped.

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Next to take up the mantle as Albon's partner was Williams junior driver Franco Colapinto, who impressed immediately but has now left Williams to work as a reserve driver for Alpine for the upcoming season.

Williams handed Alex Albon a new team-mate in 2024 after Logan Sargeant cost the team significant damages

Former Ferrari star's exit confirmed

With the 30-year-old now joining Williams, Albon has confirmed that despite frequent questions over the pair's relationship, they are no longer neighbours in Monaco.

Speaking on an episode of The Fast and the Curious podcast, Albon was asked if there was any truth to the rumour that the pair were once neighbours even before becoming team-mates.

Carlos Sainz has left Ferrari to race alongside Alex Albon at Williams

"We did [live next to each other], directly next to each other as well" Albon revealed.

"People say neighbours but we were neighbours, neighbours. My door was directly opposite his door."

"I was the OG, I was there from day one, he moved in next to me so maybe he just wanted to be near me," the 28-year-old joked.

Albon further discussed his relationship with his new team-mate, describing the new pairing as 'cosy', and went on to confirm that Sainz is no longer his neighbour having now moved out of the building now.

"I didn't really see him that much, a couple of times I passed him in the elevator, he was obviously Ferrari back then, this was pre-Wiliams.

"He's moved now by the way, he's gone, he's gone on to bigger and better things."

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Formula 1 Carlos Sainz