The 2025 F1 season will feature six rookie drivers on the grid. The 2024 edition was the season where there was no rookie on the grid at the start of the season in many years. Earlier last year, Rokkies got their moments to shine. Oliver Bearman replaced Carlos Sainz earlier in the season when the Spaniard was struck with appendicitis.
Later in the Season Liam Lawson and Franco Colapinto replaced Daniel Ricardo and Logan Sargeant. Australia’s Jack Doohan also got his chance in the very last race of the season.
Some of these drivers will continue in the 2025 season, and some new names, such as Kimi Antonelli, Iscas Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoleto, will feature on the F1 2025 grid.
Here is everything you need to know about the rookies for the 2025 season before the season starts on March 16.
Jack Doohan in the 2025 F1 Season
Jack Dohan comes from a motorsport background. His father Mick Doohan was a Moto GP veteran. Jack Doohan was given his first-ever Go-Kart by none other than Micheal Schumacher. 31 years old will be joining Pierre Gasely at Alpine.
He has F3 and F2 experience under his belt. In 2017 he joined the Red Bull junior team. In 2022 he switched to Alpine Academy. That decision paid off as he was announced as the diver for the French outfit.
In 2024 when Haas-bound Estaban Occon was axed, before the last race of the season. Doohan stepped in for the team and made his F1 debut in Abu Dhabi. On 16 March he will be racing at his home track in Australian GP.
Iscac Hadjar
French-Algerian is the latest addition to the Formula One grid for the 2025 season. He comes from the Red Bull drivers’ program. He will be joining the Red Bulls junior team Racing Bulls. He might not have the best records as other rookies but stats don’t define his potential.
There are not many expectations from him but this will provide a good learning opportunity and the possibility to graduate to the main Red Bull Team when the opportunity comes.
Oliver Bearman
Oliver Bearman got his chance to shine during the 2024 Jeddah GP when Carlos Sainz was struck with appendicitis. British teenager proved his talent when the moment came. He finished on P7 and drove skillfully on a tricky Jeddah track.
Later in the season when he joined Haas as the backup driver he replaced Kevin Maguneesn for the Azerbaijan GP. Where he finished P10 and scored a point. He will partner with Estaban Ocon at Haas for the upcoming season.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Last year when Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for the 2025 F1 season was announced. Who will get the seat at Mercedes was the question. Andrea Kimi Antonelli was selected to be George Russel’s teammate for the Silver Stone-based team. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolf has shown confidence in Italian. He even said that Antonelli has the potential to be the next Max Verstappen.
He has won back-to-back F4 and FRECA championships. He finished at 6 during his maiden F2 campaign. Unlike some of the 2025 Rookies, he has not got a chance at F1 but his raw talent was visible during FP1 in Monza.
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Gabriel Bortoleto
Gabriel Bortoleto will be pairing alongside Nico Hulkenberg in the Stake Sauber team for the 2025 F1 season. Brazilian was relatively unknown before he started winning the races in F3 and eventually becoming the champion in 2023. Next year he won the F2 championship and joined the elite club of drivers who have won back-to-back F2 and F3 championships.
He had an impressive 2024 F2 season his performance at the 2024 Monza feature race particularly stood out where climbed from last to first. He comes from the Mclarren Drivers development program and inked the deal with Sauber last year shortly before being crowned as the 2024 F2 champion.
Liam Lawson
Unlike the other rookies on the 2025 grid, Liam Lawson has F1 experience. He has experience of a dozen F1 races. He replaced Daniel Ricardo at Racing Bulls ahead of the American Gand Prix. Ahead of the 2025 F1 season, he graduated to the Red Bull main team joining the four-time world drivers championship winner Max Verstappen.
Liam Lawson had a diverse junior career which includes F2, DTS, and Super formula. He has proven himself a worthy candidate for the F1 season. However, he is yet to get fans’ approval as he replaced fan favorite Daniel Ricardo. He was promoted ahead of Yuki Tsunada. In 2025 Red Bull will be pursuing the Constructors’ championship. He will also be Max Vestappen’s teammate which itself is a double-edged sword.
The 2025 F1 season will feature a mix of veterans and Rookies and can be possibly the best F1 season. It will be interesting to see who will be the breakout star in the upcoming season.
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