Who are the 2025 F1 rookies? Antonelli, Bearman and more

The beginning of the 2024 Method 1 season noticed the grid totally unchanged from the top of 1 season to the beginning of the following.

However after a rookie drought, the latest foolish season produced 5 drivers who take their debut full-time F1 seats in 2025.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli replaces the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, Oliver Bearman has signed for Haas, Jack Doohan has slotted into the Alpine line-up, Gabriel Bortoleto varieties a part of the all-new Sauber pairing alongside stalwart Nico Hulkenberg, and Isack Hadjar takes the RB seat vacated by Liam Lawson who steps as much as Pink Bull to affix Max Verstappen.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Reserve Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Group

Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli made headlines in the course of the Italian GP weekend when it was introduced he can be becoming a member of George Russell at Mercedes, changing the outgoing Hamilton.

The 18-year-old Italian joined the Mercedes Junior Group in 2019 as a protégé. A really profitable karting profession led to a change to automobiles in 2021, with the Italian then grabbing headlines by profitable the Italian F4 and German F4 titles in 2022, and the FRECA Center East and European Championships in 2023.[TJ5] 

He made the soar to Method 2 in 2024 with Prema alongside Bearman, and ended the yr sixth within the last standings with two race wins in Silverstone and Hungary.

He made his F1 FP1 session debut at Monza in 2024, and, regardless of crashing after 10 minutes, confirmed some spectacular tempo. Questions arose about his readiness for F1, however he was introduced that very same weekend as Mercedes’ F1 driver for 2025.

Mercedes crew principal Toto Wolff lately spoke concerning the expectations on the younger Antonelli, stating: “If you happen to anticipate him to be on pole place in Melbourne, win the race and instantly compete for the championship, then the danger is excessive as a result of that received’t occur.

“If we consider that he’s solely 18 years previous, very proficient, however must develop and make errors first, the danger is much less.”

There’s undoubtedly stress on Antonelli, however it’s clear Wolff isn’t hoping to provide him a baptism by fireplace. Antonelli and Mercedes would possibly select to make use of 2025 to acclimatise, a yr earlier than the 2026 regulation modifications, after which, as soon as the modifications roll round, maybe we’ll see Antonelli difficult on the entrance of the grid extra incessantly.

As an skilled and multiple-race-winning driver, teammate Russell will pose as an excellent mentor for Antonelli, making his Method 1 debut in 2019.

Oliver Bearman – Haas

Oliver Bearman, Haas VF-24

Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Photos

Bearman made his F1 debut on the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP, the place he crammed in for the appendicitis-stricken Carlos Sainz at Ferrari. He completed a powerful seventh, taking factors on debut.

He then crammed in for Haas’ Kevin Magnussen on the Azerbaijan GP after the Dane had obtained a race ban for accruing 12 penalty factors. As soon as once more Bearman impressed, ending tenth and forward of team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, pulling off an overtake on him on the finish of the race.

This end meant he scored factors for each groups he raced for that yr, and made him the one F1 driver in historical past to attain factors for 2 completely different groups in his first two F1 begins.

The 19-year-old took Magnussen’s place once more on the Brazilian GP after the Haas driver needed to withdraw because of sickness. He completed twelfth in what was a chaotic, rain-filled race.

Having made three grand prix begins he isn’t technically a full rookie anymore, however he’ll take his first full-time F1 drive in 2025.

Bearman received Italian F4 in 2021 with Van Amersfoort Racing, after which moved as much as F3 with Prema in 2022, the place he completed third. He joined the F2 grid in 2023 and completed sixth and remained within the sequence for 2024. He completed twelfth, lacking two weekends the place he raced in F1 in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, [TJ7] and took three dash race wins in Austria, Monza, and Qatar.

It was introduced forward of the British GP that Bearman can be becoming a member of Haas, and it was confirmed later that month that Esteban Ocon can be lining up alongside the younger Brit.

Bearman has already put in some strong performances in F1, displaying he isn’t afraid to battle with a few of the extra seasoned drivers on the grid. With the Haas crew seeing an upturn in efficiency in the course of the 2024 season, Bearman will doubtless be an asset to the crew, working alongside Ocon to develop the automobile additional and produce some good outcomes.

Jack Doohan – Alpine

Jack Doohan, Alpine A524

Photograph by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos

After serving as Alpine’s reserve driver since 2023, it was introduced that Australian driver Jack Doohan would take his place alongside Pierre Gasly at Alpine for 2025.

In his junior profession, he was Australian karting champion and completed fifth in British F4 in 2018. He completed second within the F3 Asian Championship in each 2019 and 2020, and in 2021 completed second in F3.

In 2023 he positioned third in F2, earlier than departing the championship to fulfil his reserve driver capability full-time.

Doohan has taken half in a number of assessments and FP classes for the Alpine crew and made his F1 debut on the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, changing Ocon who was launched early to make the transfer to Haas.

He had a comparatively quiet race, ending fifteenth, however stated in his post-race interview: “I’m simply tremendous proud of the entire expertise, I used to be studying actually each lap, and simply a lot precious expertise that I’ll be capable to take forward of subsequent season.”

Doohan has been a widely known and well-liked determine across the paddock for some time, and his dedication to the Alpine crew has now been rewarded with a full-time drive. Some have questioned Doohan’s readiness to affix F1, given he hasn’t received any junior components titles.

Nonetheless, with the primary race beneath his belt, he’ll have been in a position to shake these first-race jitters.

Isack Hadjar – RB

Isack Hadjar, Pink Bull Racing RB20

Photograph by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos

It was introduced in December 2024 that French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar can be taking Lawson’s place at RB, partnering with Yuki Tsunoda, because the Kiwi driver was promoted to Pink Bull alongside Verstappen.

His junior profession highlights embody ending third in French F4 in 2020, and in 2022 he completed fourth in F3 with three race wins.

His first F2 season in 2023 noticed him take just one podium, however he had an enormous enchancment the next yr, difficult for the title.

Going into the ultimate 2024 F2 race weekend at Abu Dhabi, Hadjar trailed fellow F1 rookie Bortoleto by simply half a degree. Bortoleto completed second to Hadjar’s fifth within the dash race, opening that hole to 4 factors, that means the battle was nonetheless tight. However it was heartbreak for Hadjar, as his automobile stalled at the beginning of the function race, thereby scuppering his title hopes.

Hadjar has been part of the Pink Bull junior driver program since 2022, has taken half in varied FP classes, and drove the Pink Bull alongside Tsunoda within the post-season check in Abu Dhabi. He additionally served as a Pink Bull and RB reserve driver in 2024 as soon as Lawson joined the grid.

RB crew principal Laurent Mekies commented on Hadjar’s junior profession, saying: “His journey to Method 1 has been nothing wanting excellent, he has proven exceptional development, with a sequence of spectacular leads to the junior single-seater ranks.

“He has the expertise and drive essential to compete on the highest stage, and we’ve got each confidence that he’ll adapt rapidly and make a significant affect.”

Gabriel Bortoleto – Sauber

Gabriel Bortoleto, Stake F1 Group KICK Sauber C44

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos

20-year-old Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto will line up alongside Hulkenberg at Sauber as a part of their new line-up in 2025, having obtained the promotion to F1 following a extremely spectacular junior profession, taking the F3 and F2 titles consecutively in 2023 and 2024 in his rookie seasons.

After an unlucky begin to F2 in 2024, with three consecutive retirements within the Saudi Arabia dash and have races, then the next Australian dash race, his outcomes then improved, taking his first race win within the Austrian function race. A powerful last-to-first drive in Monza introduced much more eyes to Bortoleto, and constant outcomes noticed him lead the championship by half a degree going into the ultimate race weekend. Misfortune for Hadjar within the function race and a second-place end for Bortoleto meant he took the title.

Bortoleto joined the McLaren Driver Improvement programme in 2023, however was launched on the finish of 2024 when he signed for Sauber.

He’s the primary driver to take back-to-back F3 and F2 championships in a rookie season since Oscar Piastri, with the likes of Charles Leclerc and Russell additionally reaching the identical feat.

His expertise has been observed by many, not least two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who has acted as Bortoleto’s supervisor since 2022.

Sauber underperformed in 2024, and positioned final within the constructors’ championship with just one factors end in the course of the season, however is constructing for 2026 when the crew will compete as Audi, and Bortoleto and Hulkenberg will assist to pioneer the Audi venture by means of the 2026 regulation modifications.

Mattia Binotto, who joined Sauber as COO and CTO in 2024, stated: “Gabriel has already demonstrated within the junior classes that he has what it takes to be a profitable driver.

“Along with Gabriel, we’re on a journey in the direction of success, and we’ll evolve right into a unified power to form a brand new period for Audi in motorsport.

Nico and Gabriel signify the best mixture of expertise and youth, positioning us strongly for the long run.”