Pierre Gasly has assumed the role of team leader at Alpine beside Jack Doohan but it is another rookie on the 2025 grid the Frenchman wants to watch evolve this season.
F1 will welcome six new full-time drivers including four rookies onto the grid when the lights go out to begin the season at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16. Melbourne hosting the first race hands Doohan extra pressure as he settles into his already uncertain seat at Alpine.
The Gold Coast native has already enjoyed his debut as Doohan replaced Esteban Ocon with Alpine at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Executive adviser Flavio Briatore opted to make an early change in the Enstone natives’ ranks with Ocon at Haas for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Yet the clock may already be ticking down on the 22-year-old’s days as Alpine are expected to replace Doohan with Franco Colapinto. Briatore moving to hire the Argentine as a reserve driver has put the Australian under intense pressure after Colapinto’s cameos with Williams.
Pierre Gasly keen to see how Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar ‘evolves’ in Formula 1
Doohan will likely need to hit the ground running for Alpine beside Gasly in the 2025 season to save his drive. He is arguably the rookie under the most pressure compared to Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls and Gabriel Bortoleto of Sauber early on.
READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver Isack Hadjar? Everything you need to know
Gasly will have his eyes on another team’s rising star, too, as the 29-year-old is eager to see how Hadjar ‘evolves’ in Formula 1 after Red Bull placed the 20-year-old at their junior team Racing Bulls. The Frenchman replaced Liam Lawson after his move to succeed Sergio Perez.
“Isack is great,” Gasly declared, via Auto Hebdo. “I know him well, I’ve seen him evolve. I’ve enjoyed watching him over the last few seasons. I’m quite close to him, close to his family, we work with the same people and we had a few dinners at the end of last year.
| DRIVER | RACES | WINS | POLES | PODIUMS | POINTS |
| Jack Doohan | 59 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 303 |
| Oliver Bearman | 50 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 205 |
| Isack Hadjar | 54 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 247 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | 28 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 214.5 |
| Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 26 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 113 |
“I think he’s very talented. He’s very fast [and] he knows the things he needs to work on. But it’s going to be interesting to see his debut in Formula 1 and his evolution.”
Isack Hadjar showed strong speed at Racing Bulls’ 2025 Imola shakedown
Gasly will not be the only one keeping close tabs on how his compatriot performs in 2025 as Red Bull did not plan to promote Hadjar to Racing Bulls. The decision to hand the Paris-born gem a place on the grid only came about once Red Bull sacked Perez and promoted Lawson.
It meant Hadjar was left in the lurch about his plans for the 2025 term after finishing second for the 2024 Formula 2 title behind Bortoleto. But Hadjar showed monstrous and consistent pace during Racing Bulls’ shakedown at Imola as they took the covers of the real VCARB 02.
The 2025 F1 season beginning at the Australian Grand Prix will also bring back some positive memories for Hadjar as he won the F2 Feature Race in Melbourne last term. After qualifying in only eighth place, the Frenchman fought early on and benefited from pitting before a VSC.
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