David Coulthard explains why Jack Doohan has an advantage over the rest of F1’s 2025 rookies

Alpine are on an upward trajectory after a torrid start to 2024 that Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan will hope to benefit from next season.

When Pierre Gasly and his old teammate Esteban Ocon arrived in Bahrain at the start of the year, it was clear that their development hadn’t gone well over the winter.

David Croft heard rumours about Alpine’s underwhelming 2024 car before it had even taken to the track and that proved to be accurate.

However, Alpine have improved over the course of the campaign, with their double podium at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix their crowning achievement.

They eventually ended up winning the battle to finish sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, matching their position from last season.

Unfortuantely, Oliver Oakes’ team scored nearly half the number of points compared to 2023, but still spotted an opportunity to give Jack Doohan his F1 debut at the final race in Abu Dhabi despite millions of pounds of prize money being on the line.

Doohan’s qualified last on his debut – albeit with a compromised final run in Q1 – before finishing P15.

David Coulthard was speaking on the Formula For Success Podcast and explained why he thinks Doohan has one important advantage over the growing number of rookies who will be on the grid in 2025.

David Coulthard explains the advantage Jack Doohan has over 2025’s F1 rookies

Coulthard was asked who he thought would emerge from the young drivers next year and said: “So who have we got? We’ve got Jack Doohan. We’ve got Ollie Bearman. We’ve got Kimi Antonelli and we’ve got [Gabriel] Bortoleto.

“The one that’s probably got a bit more track experience in an F1 car is probably Jack Doohan.

“He hasn’t got the race experience. You know, clearly, Ollie Bearman did a brilliant job on his debut and the follow-up race.

“So he’s already, I guess, set the bar for the others to try and beat.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

“But, age is not the relevant factor in ability or performance. Max entered Formula 1 at 17. You can’t do that anymore.

“But if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. And I think they’re all there on merit.

“And Formula 1 right now has a brilliant lineup of young drivers, let’s say mid-experienced drivers and then we’ve got the two old-timers in Lewis and Fernando with only nine world championships between them.”

Coulthard also admitted that it’s a ‘gift’ for next year’s rookies to be able to race against Hamilton and Alonso given their experience in the sport. Nico Hulkenberg may also be glad that he’s not been lumped in with the pair who will both be over 40 by the time the new season rolls around.

But the pair won’t give any of F1’s newest cohort any special treatment on the track, although Bearman and Hamilton have raced before with the Haas youngster coming out on top in Saudi Arabia.

Which Formula 1 rookies are Jack Doohan racing against next season?

At least a quart of the 2025 grid will technically be rookies going into 2025, even if three of them already have Formula 1 experience.

Liam Lawson has signed for Red Bull after 11 Grand Prix, but they’ve both been super-sub appearances that have started midway through a campaign.

Oliver Bearman will race for Haas after three appearances in 2024, while Doohan’s the next most experienced new driver joining the grid.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine F1 driver Jack Doohan? All to know from his girlfriend to dad

Kimi Antonelli’s crash at Monza is what many people know him for currently, but Mercedes are confident he’s the real deal after promoting him into Lewis Hamilton’s seat.

Meanwhile, Sauber have signed Gabriel Bortoleto off the back of winning the Formula 2 championship, with Alonso rating Bortoleto as 2025’s fastest rookie driver.

There’s still one more seat to fill on the grid, with Isack Hadjar the favourite to join RB in Lawson’s place, bringing the tally of rookies up to six.

It adds another intriguing layer to what could be the most competitive season of Formula 1 in some time.