Hamilton and Russell give 2025 rookies advice for their debut season in F1
F1 News
2025 will see a huge number of rookies come onto the grid for the Formula 1 season. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar and Jack Doohan will all make their debuts in the premier class of motorsport as they all look to make the jump up from junior formulas to the huge world of F1. But what tips have the current drivers on the grid got for the upcoming rookies? Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have some advice.
Antonelli will be coming into Mercedes for the departing Hamilton for the 2025 season. The seven-time world champion will be making the mega move from the German team to Ferrari, meaning 17-year-old Antonelli will be given a huge opportunity. The Italian skipped Formula 3 altogether, and in his first season in Formula 2, he showed the immense talent that many have seen, giving him the Mercedes seat.
This year's F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto was given a seat at Sauber, who will become Audi in 2026, for next year, with F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar coming in at Racing Bulls to replace Liam Lawson. Oliver Bearman, who shone at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this year after replacing the unwell Carlos Sainz, will suit up for Haas, and Jack Doohan will round out the rookies at Alpine after a stint as their reserve and simulator driver for 2024.
Hamilton and Russell give out lots of tips for rookies
With Antonelli making the move to Mercedes, Hamilton and Russell will have both had a lot of time to talk and prepare the Italian for the move to F1. But while speaking at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, they were asked what advice they would give to the rookies for the 2025 season, with Russell starting by saying: "Enjoy it, to be honest. It's such a special moment. Get into Formula 1, for all of us, every step of your journey, you're climbing a ladder. And when you reach F1, that's a huge step and huge pride. And sort of cherish those moments. The driving, to be honest, is probably the easiest part of the job. It's everything else that comes with Formula 1. There's a lot more attention versus F2. It's a big leap in that regard. But just enjoy it."
Hamilton then followed next, and he had many points of advice that the new drivers should follow: "Don't do absolutely everything everyone tells you to do. Ask lots of questions. Take your time. Don't let the negativity get to you, because people are so negative nowadays, judging you non-stop. So stay off social media and keep your family and your closest friends close to you, because they are the only ones that are your true friends, and they're going to be there for you when they go and get stuff."
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