Get to know F1’s six rookies of the 2025 season

2024 was the primary season in System 1’s 75-year historical past that didn’t function a single rookie. In what virtually seems like an try to make up for that absence, a brand new crop of proficient younger drivers are set to refresh the game and present the previous guard what they’ll do. Six rookies, aged 18 to 22, will line up on the grid in Melbourne come March, all with various levels of stress on their shoulders. Because the conveyer belt of motorsport expertise continues shifting, get to know the six younger drivers seeking to earn a seat past their rookie season. 

Liam Lawson

Age: 22Team: Pink Bull 

Liam Lawson

Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool

Barely a dozen races into his F1 profession, Liam Lawson snagged probably the most coveted, but unenviable, seats on the grid. The Kiwi driver, who changed Daniel Ricciardo at RB beginning at COTA final 12 months, could have his work reduce out for him when he steps as much as Pink Bull alongside four-time defending world champion, Max Verstappen, in 2025. Lawson has been patiently ready within the wings for years with the Pink Bull household, and has confirmed himself a worthy candidate by means of a wide-ranging junior profession spanning DTM, Tremendous System, and F2.

Nevertheless, he’s struggled to construct goodwill with followers since getting into the paddock (by means of no fault of his personal) after changing fan-favorite Ricciardo, then seemingly leapfrogging RB’s Yuki Tsunoda for that open seat at Pink Bull. It’s a disgrace, as a result of Lawson has not solely put within the work all through his time as a reserve driver, however is among the many nicest guys on the grid (we not too long ago went on a street journey with him — you possibly can watch the total video right here). His fast promotion is a sign not solely of his expertise, but in addition how nicely he operates inside the Pink Bull framework, which is likely one of the largest keys to success on the Milton Keynes-based outfit. Take it from Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly.

All this to say, Lawson has essentially the most to lose of the 2025 rookies. He’s partnering Verstappen in one of many sport’s most notoriously robust seats, because the staff makes an attempt to claw its manner again to the entrance of the grid. Pink Bull believes that Lawson could possibly be their future in an impending post-Verstappen period, so it’s unlikely he’ll get the boot ought to he have a couple of dangerous races. However, the stress is definitely on.

Jack Doohan

Age: 21Team: Alpine

Jack Doohan

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures

Jack Doohan’s arrival in F1 feels considerably inevitable. In spite of everything, he was gifted his first go kart by seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. However the son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan is among the many least-known of the brand new rookie cohort, largely by advantage of the actual fact he’s been ready within the wings at Alpine whereas his counterparts have been racking up monitor time.

He made an look on the grid on the eleventh hour in the course of the closing race of the season, when he unexpectedly changed Esteban Ocon. The 21-year-old, who is ready to accomplice Gasly on the French outfit, might have completed outdoors the factors, however he now heads into 2025 with one ‘huge league’ race underneath his belt. The weird determination to axe Haas-bound Ocon forward of Abu Dhabi means Doohan gained’t should make his debut within the Albert Park stress cooker when F1 arrives in Melbourne come March. Ricciardo typically lamented the extreme media scrutiny surrounding the Australian Grand Prix, so Alpine could also be hoping a few of that stress can be alleviated given Doohan’s already spent a full weekend within the automobile.

Doohan additionally has a whole bunch of hours of simulator time underneath his belt — placing within the work on the manufacturing unit following his F2 campaigns in 2022 and 2023. Though he has all the proper individuals in his nook and a number of other wins in his junior profession, it stays to be seen simply how aggressive he’ll be, and whether or not the staff will give him a automobile that enables him to point out what he can do.

Talking of Alpine, 2024 was a 12 months of high-highs and low-lows for the Oliver Oakes-helmed operation. A lot of the staff has been overhauled within the final 12 months following a rollercoaster few seasons, however the inner turmoil appears to have settled underneath Oakes’ management, at the least for now.

Oliver Bearman

Age: 19Team: Haas

Oliver Bearman

Photograph by: Andreas Beil

Because of social media, drivers don’t have to attend till they’re successful world championships in F1 to develop a fan base. Such is the case for Oliver Bearman and his military of two.4 million Instagram followers. The British teenager is to F1 what somebody like Timothée Chalamet is to the movie business. That’s to say, he’s a charismatic up-and-comer who represents a brand new era of drivers, extremely conscious of their social presence and the viewers they’re connecting with. Like many elder Gen Z athletes and celebrities, Bearman doesn’t seem too involved with crafting a manicured persona, which has allowed him to resonate with swaths of followers earlier than even setting foot within the F1 paddock.

In fact, he additionally owes lots to Carlos Sainz’ burst appendix. When the Spaniard was struck down with appendicitis in Saudi Arabia, Bearman made his F1 debut with Ferrari, ending P7 on the notoriously tough Jeddah Corniche circuit. He made historical past later within the season when he scored factors throughout his second ever race — this time for Haas — after Kevin Magnussen was suspended in Azerbaijan. 

Though he has gained a number of races all through his junior profession in F2 and F3, Bearman is not arriving in F1 with a resume stacked with collection championships like a few of his counterparts. His stellar performances throughout his first few F1 outings, nevertheless, function a reminder that ends in junior classes are removed from the be-all and end-all when figuring out driver potential. The 19-year-old will definitely be one to observe when he companions Ocon in 2025 and works to push Haas additional up the mid-field.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Age: 18Team: Mercedes

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures

Entering into the previous seat of a seven-time world champion isn’t any straightforward feat. However, if anybody can do it, it’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli — at the least, based on Toto Wolff. The Mercedes staff principal is satisfied the Italian teenager is the following Verstappen, and the staff took a large leap of religion by signing him shortly after Lewis Hamilton confirmed his departure for Ferrari.

Antonelli’s story already has the makings of a fairytale: in 2018, the then 12-year-old was paired with Hamilton as a grid child on the Italian Grand Prix. “Bear in mind you’re one of the best, you possibly can win this,” the teenager informed his hero, who went on to assert victory. Simply six years later, Antonelli is changing his idol at one of many winningest groups within the trendy period.

Right now, the 18-year-old, who introduced house back-to-back championships in F4 and FRECA earlier than ending sixth in his maiden F2 marketing campaign, has been described as a generational expertise and touted to be the primary Italian to win an F1 race since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2006. There’s little doubt he has the hopes of an F1-obsessed nation on his shoulders, and a couple of million Instagram followers to show it. Although he’s but to make his debut, Antonelli’s FP1 outing in Monza was a reminder of his unbelievable uncooked tempo, and the rookie errors he’s more likely to make after placing George Russell’s automobile within the wall. One factor’s for sure: Antonelli has huge sneakers to fill and the stress is on.

Gabriel Bortoleto

Age: 20Team: Sauber

Gabriel Bortoleto

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures

Gabriel Bortoleto is getting into F1 with an unblemished file and the hopes of a complete nation hanging over him. The Brazilian was comparatively unknown till he began successful F3 races, and finally the title, in 2023. The next 12 months, he joined an illustrious membership that includes Charles Leclerc, Russell and Oscar Piastri, all of whom achieved back-to-back F2 and F3 championships.

Bortoleto, who inked a take care of Sauber shortly earlier than being topped champion, impressed all through his total 2024 marketing campaign, along with his most notable efficiency at a function race in Monza, the place he climbed from final to first. When he was approached by the Swiss outfit, he had no qualms signing for the staff — set to change into Audi in 2026 — regardless of his roots as a part of McLaren’s Driver Growth program, given the papaya staff’s long-term dedication to Piastri and Lando Norris.

Sauber can be an ideal low-pressure setting for the 20-year-old to study the ropes from a veteran of the game like his teammate, Nico Hulkenberg. The staff is anticipated to stay in the direction of the again of the grid in 2025 because it focuses its assets on 2026. Solely time will inform how nicely Bortoleto adapts to F1 after a shocking junior profession.

Isack Hadjar

Age: 20 Staff: RB

Isack Hadjar

Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool

Isack Hadjar is the latest rookie to affix the F1 grid. The previous Pink Bull junior was promoted to RB in late December after Lawson vacated the seat to accomplice Verstappen on the A-team. The French-Algerian driver has confirmed himself all through the years, and his title has lengthy been thrown round when discussing the staff’s most promising up-and-comers. Nevertheless, he doesn’t have a world-beating file nor nice expectations on his shoulders, which makes RB an excellent place for him to land and study the ropes from an skilled hand like Tsunoda.

Hadjar doesn’t have any championship titles, although that stat does a disservice to his apparent expertise within the cockpit. In F2 he gained extra races than every other driver and his response time acquired widespread reward when he narrowly escaped a crash within the Monaco tunnel in 2024.