Weekly Hot Take: Ranking Each 2025 Rookie Driver
There are 5 rookies in the F1 class of 2025 (not including Fernando Alonso or Liam Lawson), and so far this season has been a mixed bag in terms of results. Some are performing better than seasoned drivers, and some are consistently at the bottom of the pack. Today we’ll be evaluating each rookie based on their strengths and weaknesses to pick the most talented, most underrated, and best team players.
The opp himself, Jack Doohan in the flesh. Photo courtesy of SuperSport.
5. Jack Doohan
This may be a controversial opinion, but I am lowkey a Jack Doohan hater. He never achieved the F3 or F2 titles, but had a few wins and served as Alpine’s reserve driver for a while before signing the seat. Doohan DNF’d in the first race on his home turf and has since placed 13th, 15th, and 14th, as well as majorly crashing in Japan’s FP2 session due to a DRS closure fail. It’s not even that I am averse to the guy because of his team, I just don’t think he is anything special and am disappointed in his poor driving; Gasly is also one of the drivers that I care for the least, but I don’t have the same aversion to him as I do for Doohan. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but one thing is for sure: Doohan needs to lock in and show everyone what he’s made of if he wants to have a shot at fame and success this season.
4. Gabriel Bortoleto
When Bortoleto signed for F1 after winning the 2023 F3 Championship and the 2024 F2 championship in his rookie season, Brazilians were ecstatic. Since 1994, when the legend Ayrton Senna passed in a fatal crash, Brazil’s fanbase hasn’t had an opportunity to cheer for a driver of their own in F1 - until now. Gabi, as he is affectionately called by fans, had connections to 2 time world champion Fernando Alonso when competing in the junior leagues, so hopes were high that his talent and skill would develop quickly in F1. With finishes of P14, P19 and a DNF, however, the young driver has yet to prove himself on track. Bortoleto obviously has some potential, but until he locks in, Sauber will continue to fall behind and he may not score many (or any) points this season.
Hadjar and Bortoleto celebrating together on an F2 podium. Photo courtesy of Formula Scout.
3. Isack Hadjar
So far, Hadjar is the most consistently mid rookie of the 2025 season. Towards the end of the 2024 season, the 2024 F2 runner-up participated in free practice sessions at Silverstone (P19) and Abu Dhabi (P15). He also participated in rookie testing post-season (with a faster pace than Yuki Tsunoda), the results of which earned him the reserve driver seat for both RB teams and later the full-time Racing Bulls seat. His tragic start at the Australian GP prevented him from racing, and the struggles only continued with a strategic error during the Chinese GP, barely allowing for a P11 finish. He scored points in Japan after finishing 8th but dropped back behind in Bahrain at 13th, dancing around the points. All things considered, so far Hadjar is not the worst rookie but also not the best, and I hope that he improves in the weeks to come and achieves more successes throughout this season.
2. Ollie Bearman
If there was one wild card team going into the 2025 season, it would be Haas: a new team principal, a whole new driver lineup, and a rookie driver (not to mention Esteban Ocon’s historic lack of ability to collaborate kindly with his teammates). The American team is also not one of the most consistent in terms of high performance and sponsorship successes, but they have come out strong in 2025 and already Bearman has scored 6 points. Bearman won many karting trophies before entering the world of F1, won both the ADAC Formula 4 Championship and the Italian F4 Championship, and had many strong finishes in the F3 and F2 championships. He also filled in for both Sainz and Magnussen in 2024, and scored points on both occasions (P7 and P10 respectively). Bearman finished 14th in the first race of the season and scored points in each of the other three (P8, P10 and P10). He and Ocon seem to be getting along well both on and off track, and he shows much promise for the future. A sweet and friendly driver to the rest of the grid, Bearman is definitely a crowd favorite and a champion in the making.
Everyone’s favorite besties on the grid, Bearman and Antonelli. Photo courtesy of F1.
1. Kimi Antonelli
At only 18 years old, Kimi Antonelli sits in a comfortable 6th place in the Driver’s Championship with 30 points: an impressively secure start to the season. Antonelli is no stranger to racing though, after winning back to back karting titles, the 2022 Italian F4 Championship (along with Bearman on the Prema team!!), ADAC Formula 4 in 2022, and Formula Regional European and Middle East championships in 2023. Representing Italy in the 2022 FIA Motorsports Games, he won the gold medal and progressed to Formula 2 the next year. He later joined the Mercedes junior team, and this year became the third-youngest driver in F1 history. Antonelli landed 4th in his first ever Formula 1 race, with strong results of 6th, 7th, and 11th following. He also led the Japanese Grand Prix for a number of laps and has shown tremendous qualifying abilities. Honestly, Antonelli is one of the most talented drivers the sport has seen in a long time, and he will definitely be a world champion one day if he continues his dedication and ambition for success. Comparable to a young Senna or Schumacher, Antonelli for sure has what it takes to become a motorsport legend.
Whether you like it or not, those are my analyses of this year’s rookie drivers. Hope you had fun reading this one, DM me at @thewinningformulablog your opinions on the 2025 rookie class!
Lights out and away we go,
Lucy xx
