While Formula 1 team bosses displayed an astonishingly conservative approach during the 2023-2024 off-season (not a single rookie recruited!), they seem to have been struck by a real youth fever last winter.
In Brief
The 2025 F1 season spotlights several highly promising rookies, with Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoleto standing out clearly. Antonelli is off to an excellent start with Mercedes and sits in the best rookie position in the championship. Hadjar is impressing with consistently strong performances, while Bortoleto is thriving by frequently outperforming his Sauber teammate. Other rookies, such as Bearman, Lawson, Doohan, or Colapinto, are finding it tougher to establish themselves firmly on the grid.
Which rookie will remain the most impressive of 2025?
At the season’s outset, no fewer than three “true” rookies were signed, joined by other young talents with only a handful of grands prix under their belts: Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, and Franco Colapinto.
Highly anticipated by every observer, Kimi Antonelli — 19 years old since August 25 — impressed the F1 world as early as the Australian Grand Prix by finishing a superb fourth, right behind his Mercedes teammate, George Russell.
The Italian, stepping into the role previously held by Lewis Hamilton at the star-badged outfit, followed up with a string of strong performances: four sixth-place finishes in races and a stunning 3rd-place qualification in Miami. But the former karting champion — who also continues his schooling in parallel — then ran into a rough patch, making more mistakes than expected.
While Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team have shown understanding, Antonelli himself admits that he briefly lost confidence at one point.
Thanks to his excellent early-season form and the strong performance of his car (Mercedes sitting second in the Constructors’ standings after Austin), he remains the best-placed rookie in the championship and is intent on staying there.
Isack Hadjar: the Frenchman is turning heads!
As we write this, he sits 7th with 89 points, ahead of Isack Hadjar, 10th with 39 points. Even though he began the season with a stumble in Australia, the Frenchman has impressed consistently since, both in qualifying—where he regularly outqualifies his teammates and frequently finds himself in Q3—and in races. And when he starts from the back due to a technical failure, as happened at the Italian Grand Prix, he still manages to cross the line in the points! Hadjar is so convincing that Red Bull could be tempted to promote him to a seat beside Max Verstappen next year.
Another rookie who has shone, at least in the second half of the season, is Gabriel Bortoleto, 21. After a modest start, Sauber’s upturn in form has allowed the Brazilian to stand out.
Having taken his first points in Austria, the F2 champion benefited from two strong weekends in Hungary (7th in qualifying, 6th in the race) and in Italy (7th in qualifying, 8th in the race). From the start of the season, he has frequently outpaced his more experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg.
Will all the rookies still be on the grid in 2026?
Beyond the results, he enjoys unwavering support from his personal manager, a certain Fernando Alonso, with whom he finds himself sharing the track on a regular basis! The champion never misses an opportunity to tout his protégé’s merits. Even Nico Hülkenberg has been impressed by his young teammate: “He’s a machine! He can nail lap times like a printer that never runs out of ink.” Bortoleto is ahead of Oliver Bearman, who last year made waves with standout replacements for Ferrari and Haas. Now a full-time driver for the American outfit, the 20-year-old Brit frequently tests the limits of his seasoned teammate Esteban Ocon, who is much more experienced but often on the back foot.
If these four drivers have a guaranteed seat for next season, the rest of the “young guns” find themselves in far less secure positions. Promoted this winter to Red Bull beside Verstappen, Liam Lawson has not had an easy ride. “Demoted” to Racing Bulls, he has often been outpaced by Hadjar. And as for Jack Doohan—ousted in a ruthless cut before he could fully establish himself—and Franco Colapinto, who has alternated at the wheel of a second Alpine, they have failed to deliver the results expected. Although Colapinto is being talked about as a potential keeper for 2026, Alpine has left him with only a handful of races left to prove himself and confirm the team’s faith in him.
Comparative Table
| Driver | Team | Championship Position | Points | Best Race Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 7th | 89 | 4th (Australia), podium (Canada) |
| Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 10th | 39 | Regular points finishes |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | – | – | 6th (Hungary) |
| Oliver Bearman | Haas | – | – | – |
| Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | – | – | – |
| Jack Doohan | Alpine | – | 0 | – |
| Franco Colapinto | Alpine | – | 0 | – |
Key Takeaways
- Kimi Antonelli is off to an excellent start at Mercedes and is leading the rookie standings.
- Isack Hadjar is winning fans with his consistency and could join Red Bull alongside Verstappen.
- Gabriel Bortoleto has built on Sauber’s improved form to score meaningful points.
- Several rookies are facing challenges and fighting to stay on the grid, notably Lawson, Doohan, and Colapinto.
- A wave of youth is sweeping through F1, with a highly watched rookie class emerging in 2025.
FAQ
Who is leading the F1 rookies in 2025?
Kimi Antonelli, at Mercedes, is currently the top rookie in the standings with 89 points and a provisional 7th place.
How has Isack Hadjar stood out this season?
Isack Hadjar impresses with his consistency in qualifying and in races, often outracing his teammates and regularly scoring points even from deep in the field.
What are Hadjar’s most notable results this season?
Gabriel Bortoleto has scored his first points in Austria and finished 6th in Hungary, frequently beating his experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg since the start of the season.
Which rookies are struggling this season?
Liam Lawson, Jack Doohan, and Franco Colapinto are having difficulty asserting themselves and, for some, have yet to score a point in 2025.
Will all rookies keep their seats in 2026?
The four primary rookies have guaranteed seats for next year, while the situation remains uncertain for others, notably Franco Colapinto.
