There are plenty of rookies for Formula 1 fans to get excited about ahead of the start of the 2025 season.
While the likes of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Liam Lawson will be hoping to race at the front of the F1 grid in 2025, there are several exciting plotlines to keep an eye on further down the pack.
One of the constantly ongoing storylines in Formula 1 is the identities of the Red Bull drivers in the paddock.
The winter break saw team principal Christian Horner forced into another personnel change, with Liam Lawson promoted into Sergio Perez’s seat.
It means Yuki Tsunoda will spend a fifth year with the Racing Bulls team and he has yet another new teammate.
Isack Hadjar finished as runner-up in the 2024 Formula 2 championship to new Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
He still had a chance to win the title going into the final feature race of the year in Abu Dhabi, but after failing to get off the line, that dream was over.
However, he had already secured a place on the F1 grid by then and Red Bull have high hopes for the Frenchman.
Helmut Marko has called Hadjar the Mini Prost and he has a long way to go to live up to that nickname.
Ted Kravitz was speaking on The F1 Show and suggested he’s unsure about another claim Red Bull are making about Hadjar.
Ted Kravitz not ‘convinced’ by Red Bull’s latest Isack Hadjar claim
Kravitz was speaking about some of the rookies starting their first full seasons in F1 this year and said: “Yep, [Oliver Bearman is] very quick, not quite sure how fast that Haas car is.
“It was difficult to read in testing, but these two behind me are the ones I’m really excited about.
“Gabriel Bortoleto, F3 champion, F2 champion, is in the slowest car, so no expectations. But I think he can be beating Hulkenberg straight from the start.
READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know
“And Isack Hadjar, big question mark. Red Bull believe he is as quick, if not quicker, than Yuki Tsunoda in the other car, which is why he’s in that drive.
“I’m yet to be convinced because I haven’t seen enough of him, but let’s see.”
Racing Bulls could have an all-new driver line-up in 2026 with Yuki Tsunoda’s future uncertain
Only McLaren and Aston Martin retained last year’s line-up for this year and with new regulations just around the corner, every team will want stability over the coming years.
However, Racing Bulls’ only purpose is to prepare drivers to potentially race for Red Bull so consistency isn’t quite as important.
Tsunoda could be let go at the end of 2025 given Honda’s relationship with Red Bull is coming to an end.
READ MORE: All to know about Racing Bulls from team principal to Red Bull affiliation
Hadjar will be under the same pressure as every other Formula 1 rookie and even if Red Bull believe he’s already quicker than Tsunoda, he’s got to prove that’s actually the case.
Red Bull have Arvid Lindblad waiting for an F1 call-up next season if he succeeds in Formula 2 and a host of other young drivers pushing for Hadjar and Tsunoda’s seats.
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