Isack Hadjar has become the fifth rookie to join the 2025 Formula 1 grid after securing the Racing Bulls seat next to Yuki Tsunoda. Technically, there will be six drivers starting their first full season, with Liam Lawson lining up at Red Bull.
Oliver Bearman was the first to secure a seat, having impressed the entire paddock with his stand-in performance for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian GP when Carlos Sainz came down with appendicitis. Bearman, who finished seventh in Jeddah and won driver of the day, partners Esteban Ocon in a brand new Haas lineup.
Next was Jack Doohan, who replaced Ocon at Alpine. Doohan had spent the season as reserve driver but had the chance to make an early debut at the Abu Dhabi GP.
The rookie under the most pressure in 2025 is Kimi Antonelli, Bearman’s PREMA teammate in F2. Antonelli succeeds Lewis Hamilton, the most successful driver in F1 history, at Mercedes.
Despite winning the F2 championship, Gabriel Bortoleto starts with the weakest team – 10th-place Sauber. Bortoleto, who can learn from the veteran Nico Hulkenberg, was part of the McLaren academy but was released after Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris signed new deals.
And finally, after Lawson earned a promotion to Red Bull, Hadjar slotted into the de facto junior outfit. He finished runner-up behind Bortoleto in the F2 title race.
Franco Colapinto is lurking in the background if Isack Hadjar doesn’t deliver in 2025
Some of the rookies listed are more secure than others. For instance, Mercedes see Antonelli as a future superstar, so they’re likely to be patient in his first season.
Toto Wolff has already downplayed expectations for Antonelli, while Bortoleto is protected by a multi-year deal. On the other hand, there are rumours that Doohan is only under contract for five races.
Doohan is unhappy with the speculation around his future, which surfaced even before his debut. But his manager Flavio Briatore admits ongoing interest in Franco Colapinto.
Colapinto is without a seat for 2025 after a nine-race stint at Williams. He knew he wouldn’t be driving for them full-time because Carlos Sainz had already signed his deal before his promotion.
Speaking on the official F1 YouTube channel, commentator Alex Jacques suggested that Colapinto would put the rookie class under pressure next year. Hadjar must also be wary given Red Bull’s well-documented interest in the Argentine.
“One name that’s not on the grid is a real motivational tool for the rest of the field,” Jacques said. “No Franco Colapinto on that grid.
“But he is a well-funded option for anyone who isn’t happy with how their driving is performing in 2025. The rookies are all, I imagine, going to be wary that Franco’s got the money, got the talent, and if they don’t deliver, he’s right there to plug and play.”
Where Red Bull’s Helmut Marko stands on Franco Colapinto after hiring Isack Hadjar
As Jacques says, Colapinto offers an enormous sponsorship package in addition to his evident talent. He almost immediately pressured Alex Albon in qualifying, and scored points twice in his first five races.
His stock fell sharply before the end of the season after three heavy crashes across two weekends in Las Vegas and Qatar. Red Bull’s interest in Colapinto cooled and they looked in-house instead.
Executive director Helmut Marko questioned whether Colapinto was worth the money as Williams demanded an eight-figure fee. Perhaps if James Vowles lowers his demands, the Austrian would be willing to revisit the potential move.
Leave feedback about this