AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
  • STANDINGS
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
  • STANDINGS
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear

Meet the 2025 F1 Reserve Drivers: The Unsung Heroes Ready to Take the Wheel

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 11, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Hamilton Expresses Joy Over Ferrari Performance During F1 Pre-Season Testing

Formula One F1 - Pre Season Testing - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - February 26, 2025 Ferrari reserve driver Guanyu Zhou during testing REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

In the high-octane world of Formula 1, reserve drivers play a vital role, stepping up to the plate when the regular drivers cannot perform their duties for one reason or another. Ollie Bearman’s exemplary performances for Ferrari and Haas are a testament to this fact. In anticipation of the 2025 season, let’s take a closer look at the pool of reserve drivers who are ready to jump into action for their respective F1 teams. This rundown follows the 2024 championship order.

Let’s start with McLaren. The team will be counting on the skills of IndyCar standout Pato O’Ward, who has been honing his F1 skills through various tests and practice sessions since 2022. While his main focus will be his IndyCar campaign from March to August, McLaren could also rely on Mercedes’s reserve driver pool, which includes Valtteri Bottas, should they need a substitute for Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri.

Next up, Ferrari. Zhou Guanyu, who parted ways with Sauber after three seasons, and Antonio Giovinazzi, a former Sauber F1 driver now racing for Ferrari in the World Endurance Championship, will be Ferrari’s backup drivers. Additionally, Ferrari might consider moving Ollie Bearman up from Haas if a sudden replacement for Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton is required.

Moving on to Red Bull, they have chosen to retain Yuki Tsunoda as their reserve driver for 2025, despite bypassing him for promotion to the senior team. Tsunoda, who will be driving for Racing Bulls for the fifth consecutive season, had his first test run with Red Bull post-season in Abu Dhabi last year.

Mercedes, meanwhile, didn’t waste any time reuniting with Valtteri Bottas after it became evident he’d be without a racing seat for 2025. Bottas is the prime candidate to stand in for either George Russell or Kimi Antonelli if needed. However, Mercedes also has Frederik Vesti, runner-up in Formula 2 in 2023 and a popular figure within the team, as another reserve driver. If Bottas does make a return, he’ll start with a five-place grid penalty due to colliding with Kevin Magnussen’s Haas at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Over at Aston Martin, Felipe Drugovich, the 2022 Formula 2 champion, and former McLaren F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne are waiting in the wings. Drugovich has been patiently biding his time at Aston Martin for the past four years, eager for his shot at F1.

Alpine’s reserve driver lineup is quite extensive, with Franco Colapinto, Paul Aron, Kush Maini, and Ryo Hirakawa. Colapinto, a late-2024 stand-in for Williams, is rumored to be a possible replacement for Jack Doohan during his rookie F1 season.

The Haas team has yet to announce an official reserve driver. They could potentially call upon Ferrari’s Giovinazzi, or Toyota-contracted drivers like Hirakawa, who had previously driven for Haas in the Abu Dhabi test. Kevin Magnussen, despite losing his racing seat with Haas, will continue to test with the team in 2025 while also returning to sportscars with BMW.

Red Bull’s second team, Racing Bulls, hasn’t confirmed their reserve driver yet. Ayumu Iwasa, who tested with the team in Abu Dhabi, and 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad, set to make his Formula 2 debut in 2025, are potential candidates.

Lastly, Williams and Sauber have yet to declare their reserve drivers for the 2025 season. Theoretically, Williams could turn to Mercedes’ reserve drivers if needed, while Sauber is yet to name a successor after parting ways with previous third driver Theo Pourchaire at the end of 2024.

As we gear up for the 2025 F1 season, these reserve drivers hold the potential to turn the tides for their teams, ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice.

Share212Tweet133Send

Related Posts

McLaren CEO Braces for Chaos: Bold Equal Driver Strategy Poses Risk of Defeat
Motorsports

McLaren CEO Braces for Chaos: Bold Equal Driver Strategy Poses Risk of Defeat

Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - August 2, 2025 McLaren chief executive Zak Brown...

by Harry Bright
August 7, 2025
Red Bull’s Shocking Decision: Yuki Tsunoda’s Fate Revealed Amid 2026 F1 Uncertainty
Motorsports

Red Bull’s Shocking Decision: Yuki Tsunoda’s Fate Revealed Amid 2026 F1 Uncertainty

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

by Miguel Cunha
August 7, 2025
Daredevil Dad: Jos Verstappen Unleashes F1’s Ultimate Beast in Son Max – A Family Saga
Motorsports

Daredevil Dad: Jos Verstappen Unleashes F1’s Ultimate Beast in Son Max – A Family Saga

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

by Simon Monroy
August 7, 2025
F1 Teams Hit Jackpot with Record $500M Prize as Brad Pitt Movie Sparks Financial Surge
Motorsports

F1 Teams Hit Jackpot with Record $500M Prize as Brad Pitt Movie Sparks Financial Surge

Formula 1 teams hit the jackpot with a groundbreaking $500 million in prize money, setting a new record in the...

by Virgilio Machado
August 7, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

Fábrica da Ford no Reino Unido inicia produção do motor elétrico do Puma Gen-E

“Ford delays electric pick-up and van until 2028.”

August 8, 2025
McLaren CEO Braces for Chaos: Bold Equal Driver Strategy Poses Risk of Defeat

McLaren CEO Braces for Chaos: Bold Equal Driver Strategy Poses Risk of Defeat

August 7, 2025
Red Bull’s Shocking Decision: Yuki Tsunoda’s Fate Revealed Amid 2026 F1 Uncertainty

Red Bull’s Shocking Decision: Yuki Tsunoda’s Fate Revealed Amid 2026 F1 Uncertainty

August 7, 2025
Daredevil Dad: Jos Verstappen Unleashes F1’s Ultimate Beast in Son Max – A Family Saga

Daredevil Dad: Jos Verstappen Unleashes F1’s Ultimate Beast in Son Max – A Family Saga

August 7, 2025

Newsletter

  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TECHNICAL INFORMATION
  • EDITORIAL STATUS
  • TERMS AND CONDITIONS

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

Enable Notifications OK No thanks