Five races into the 2025 season, the rookie landscape is taking shape. Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads the pack with impressive performances, while Isack Hadjar and Oliver Bearman continue to adapt promising consistent development. Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan faces critical challenges ahead. As the season progresses, these young drivers will aim to solidify their positions on the F1 grid.
At just 18, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been nothing short of exceptional in his debut Formula 1 season. Filling Lewis Hamilton’s legendary boots at Mercedes was no small feat, but the Italian has quickly established himself as a future star. His standout drive in Australia — climbing from 16th to 4th — was followed by consistent top-10 finishes, earning him an impressive 38 points, the highest among the 2025 rookie class. His calm demeanour and racecraft belie his age and he currently sits 5th in the Drivers’ Championship, even ahead of teammate George Russell. He even created history by becoming the youngest driver to lead a race.
British driver Oliver Bearman entered the 2025 season with a wave of momentum after his stellar stand-in performance for Ferrari in 2024. With 6 points to his name after five races, Bearman has had a solid if slightly under-the-radar start to his full-time F1 journey with Haas. While he’s still getting to grips with the machinery and race rhythm, his adaptability and composed driving show flashes of long-term promise. Haas are counting on him to evolve into a consistent midfield presence — and Bearman appears to be well on that path.
Isack Hadjar has begun to turn heads with his resilience and learning curve in a tightly contested midfield. After a rocky start that included a spin in Australia, the Racing Bulls rookie bounced back with a superb 8th place in Japan, marking his maiden F1 points haul. With 5 points in the bag, the French-Algerian driver is gaining confidence — and credibility — fast. Both Red Bull and Racing Bulls bosses have been impressed, hinting at future potential if his upward trajectory continues through the season.
Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto has brought maturity and composure to Sauber, even though he has yet to score a point. The 2023 F2 champion has been close on a few occasions, but misfortune and car performance have hampered results. With 0 points so far, Bortoleto remains under the radar, but his mentor Fernando Alonso has already publicly called him the best rookie of 2025.
Jack Doohan’s transition to Formula 1 has been the most turbulent among this year’s rookies. The Australian driver’s performances for Alpine have been plagued by errors and lack of pace, with 0 points on the board after five races. While he showed marginal improvement in Bahrain with an 11th-place finish, speculation is mounting about his future. With reserve driver Franco Colapinto reportedly being considered, Doohan needs a breakthrough soon to justify Alpine’s investment.