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Vote | Which rookie do you expect the most from in 2025?
2025 looks to be the year of the rookies. After all, six of the drivers on the grid will be stepping into Formula 1 for their first full season. But which rookie do the GPblog readers expect the most from, and who will perform the best? Vote in the poll and have your say in the comments!
2025 is the final season before the new technical regulations completely overhaul the design and functioning of the cars. The engine side and the chassis rules will undergo major changes for the 2026 season, with the last major regulation change coming back in 2022. Back then, 2021 also saw more rookies entering the competition.
Which rookie will perform best in 2025?
For the 2025 season, six drivers will get their first chance to take part in a full season in Formula 1. The driver who perhaps has the most eyes on him this year will be Liam Lawson. The 22-year-old gets to drive his first full F1 season alongside Max Verstappen in the Red Bull.
As Daniel Ricciardo's replacement at Racing Bulls last year, Lawson already drove several Grands Prix temporarily in 2023 as an injury replacement for the Australian. In 2024, he was allowed to finish the season in Ricciardo's place from the American Grand Prix onwards. The New Zealander greatly impressed the Austrian team and has already been promoted to the main team after less than a full season.
There is also a lot of chatter around Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with the 18-year-old being Lewis Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes after just one season in Formula 2. With very little experience behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, the Italian will take the step in F1 at the Silver Arrows. He has also skipped Formula 3, and in his F2 season, he finished sixth in 2024.
Gabriel Bortoleto was the winner of last year's F2 championship. Until the last race of the season, the Brazilian was battling Isack Hadjar for the title. The Braxilian impressed throughout the season in the junior formula, and as a result, he will make his debut with Sauber's team. Hadjar, who finished just behind Bortoleto in second place, will become Yuki Tsunoda's new teammate at Racing Bulls.
Oliver Bearman also competed in F2 last season, with the Briton finishing 12th in the championship. However, what is worth noting here is that Bearman had to miss three race weekends due to being allowed to substitute in F1. In Saudi Arabia, he got to replace Carlos Sainz who had to undergo surgery, while at the Azerbaijan and Brazilian Grands Prix, the Briton replaced Kevin Magnussen at Haas, impressive hugely on all three occasions, resulting in a lot of promise for 2025.
The latest rookie to enter F1 will be Jack Doohan. The Australian was first part of the Red Bull Junior Team and later swapped that for the Alpine Academy. He has driven two full seasons in Formula 2, with a third place in the championship in 2023 as his best result. In 2024, the 22-year-old was on the sidelines as Alpine's reserve driver, but for 2025, he will now start his first F1 season as Pierre Gasly's teammate at Alpine.
Which rookie do GPblog readers think will perform best during their debut season, and who do they expect the most from? Vote in the poll and leave your opinion in the comments!
This article was written in collaboration with Sandy van Wijngaarden
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