With a wave of fresh talent entering Formula 1, former driver and pundit Johnny Herbert has made his pick for the standout rookie of 2025—and it’s not Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. Instead, Herbert believes Ferrari-backed Brit Oliver Bearman will be the most impressive newcomer this season.
The 19-year-old Bearman will make his full-time F1 debut with Haas at the Australian Grand Prix in March, building on the valuable race experience he gained in 2024. After an impressive F1 debut with Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, where he substituted for Carlos Sainz and finished P7, Bearman later stepped in for Haas at Azerbaijan and São Paulo, catching the attention of key figures in the paddock.
“For me, Bearman will be the one who’s probably going to get the best out of the young bunch,” Herbert said.
Bearman vs. Hülkenberg: A Crucial Benchmark
One of the biggest reasons Herbert backs Bearman over his fellow rookies is his strong pace against Nico Hülkenberg, an established veteran.
“Now obviously getting himself into racing up against Nico Hülkenberg is a good opportunity for him to actually go up against an experienced driver,” Herbert explained.
“As we saw with Oliver Bearman, he pushed him sometimes. Bearman was quicker than Hülkenberg.”
With Hülkenberg now at Audi in 2026, Bearman has a golden opportunity to establish himself as a future leader for Haas and possibly Ferrari.
Antonelli Faces a Tougher Challenge at Mercedes
While Antonelli has been hyped as Mercedes’ next big star, Herbert is less convinced that the young Italian will have an immediate impact.
“The driver that’s going to be very, very interesting to see what he can do is Kimi Antonelli.”
Antonelli, who Mercedes has fast-tracked to F1 at just 18 years old, made his first real impression during an F1 test at Monza. However, Herbert wasn’t sold on what he saw.
“Because his first showing wasn’t great in Monza. Now he’s got a reputation to repair and get people supporting him because that wasn’t the perfect scenario for him.”
Making things even tougher for Antonelli is his teammate: George Russell.
“He’s also up against George Russell, and he’s a very confident, smart young man that I think is going to be very tough to break.”
While Antonelli’s raw talent is undeniable, Herbert suggests he may need more time to adjust to the elite level of F1, unlike Bearman, who already has a strong foundation from last season’s stand-in appearances.
The Next Generation Takes Over
With Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton likely in their final years in F1, Herbert sees a new wave of young stars emerging, much like Lando Norris, Russell, and Alex Albon did before them.
“Now we’ve got the next bunch coming through, and the elder statesmen—Alonso and Hamilton—are definitely on their last hurrah.”
Aside from Bearman and Antonelli, Herbert also highlighted F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto and Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar as names to watch in 2025.
“I like Gabriel Bortoleto because I like what he did in F2. I like his grit and determination.”
“And then Isack Hadjar—I did like what he did in F2 as well.”
Will Herbert Be Proven Right?
With Bearman lining up alongside Esteban Ocon at Haas and Antonelli making his debut for Mercedes, the 2025 season is set to be a proving ground for both rookies. Will Bearman live up to Herbert’s expectations, or will Antonelli silence the doubters?
The season opener in Melbourne will give the first true glimpse of how these young stars will fare on motorsport’s biggest stage.
