Four members of F1’s 2025 rookie class were racing in F2 last year. The only exception was Alpine’s Jack Doohan, who graduated from the feeder series at the end of 2023.
Gabriel Bortoleto won the championship, a year after his triumph in F3. Bortoleto has compared himself to Charles Leclerc, who also lifted both trophies, and will emulate the Monegasque by starting his career at Sauber.
Bortoleto edged out Isack Hadjar in a battle that went right to the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Despite the disappointment of finishing as the runner-up, Hadjar secured an F1 seat with Racing Bulls after Liam Lawson graduated to the Red Bull team.
| DRIVER | GPs | WIN | POL | POD | PTS |
| Jack Doohan | 60 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 303 |
| Oliver Bearman | 49 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 205 |
| Isack Hadjar | 52 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 247 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | 26 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 214.5 |
| Kimi Antonelli | 24 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 113 |
Kimi Antonelli, an F2 debutant along with Bortoleto, finished sixth. And yet, he fills the most desirable seat of all, replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
That just leaves Oliver Bearman, Antonelli’s PREMA teammate. He starts out at Haas but could have a long-term path to Ferrari.
F1 welcomes its largest rookie contingent since 2010 after the first season ever without one. Nico Hulkenberg was the only one in that number who forged a long-term career, so the new batch will hope to enjoy more success.
Isack Hadjar shares his fears before joining Racing Bulls F1 team
Speaking to Canal+, Hadjar admitted he was struggling to ‘visualise’ what it would be like to race in F1. He’s wary of the strength of his competitors.
If Aston Martin continue to struggle, the Racing Bulls team may compete for fifth in the championship, a target Alpine, Haas and even Williams might also set. Hadjar’s main goal, though, is to beat Yuki Tsunoda.
The Japanese driver will be expected to lead the team in what is his fifth year at Faenza. Tsunoda has scored 91 points in 87 F1 outings to date and statistically outperformed Lawson and Daniel Ricciardo last year.
A surprisingly honest Hadjar admits he’s ‘scared’ ahead of his first year at the pinnacle of motorsport. The pressure in the Red Bull environment has always been uniquely high.
“The fact that I’m finding it hard to visualise, to see the whole picture, just goes to show how huge it is for me,” Hadjar said. “Honestly, I’m scared. I know that my F1 experience is limited.
“The field is so strong, there are so many levels. I know that when I get into the car, Tsunoda will be the one I want to beat. That’s what it’s all about in the end.
“Especially in F1 when we don’t all have the same cars. That’s the only real objective I have. But entering a world like that is a bit scary.”
Why Helmut Marko will be worried by Isack Hadjar’s admission ahead of F1 debut
Hadjar’s comments will surely sew concerns among not only the Racing Bulls hierarchy, but also the Red Bull leadership. They will be evaluating him closely this year to determine his long-term prospects.
While apprehension is natural, Helmut Marko would prefer him to enter F1 full of confidence and excitement. Neither Max Verstappen nor Lawson showed any fear on track in their first appearances.
What’s more, Red Bull already have doubts Hadjar. Marko intends to secure a superlicence for F2 gem Arvid Lindblad for 2026, suggesting he wants to place him at the de facto junior team.
As such, Hadjar could be one of the first drivers to lose his seat for next season. Marko and co. are even willing to change during the year if they deem it necessary, and there will be a broad performance criteria he has to meet from the outset.
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