The Formula 1 landscape is abuzz with fresh talent as five rookies gear up to challenge the established order in the upcoming Australian Grand Prix. The 2025 grid is set to witness an influx of new blood, a far cry from 2024 when the same 20 drivers from the previous season were retained, leading many to ponder the future of rookie racers.
The quintet of rookies ready to make waves includes Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Haas’ Oliver Bearman, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto. Each of these young drivers has demonstrated exceptional skill at the junior level and carved a unique path to the pinnacle of motorsport.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the Italian prodigy, found his way to the Mercedes junior programme just months before his 13th birthday in April 2019. His rapid ascent through the ranks led him to the Italian Formula 4 podium in his debut season in 2021. The following year, Antonelli claimed championship victories in Italian and ADAC F4 with Prema and added the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) to his growing list of accolades in 2023. After a series of wins in Formula 2, the Italian sensation has been primed to fill the shoes of the legendary Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
Meanwhile, at Alpine, Jack Doohan, son of five-time MotoGP champion Mick Doohan, is set to turn heads. A karting gift from family friend Michael Schumacher set the young Australian on the path to Formula 1. After a successful stint in karting, Doohan climbed the ranks through British F4, EuroFormula, F3 Asian Championship, and FIA Formula 3. Following a series of victories over two F2 seasons and a promising F1 debut in Abu Dhabi, Doohan is ready to represent Alpine in the forthcoming Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Over at Haas, the British talent Oliver Bearman is touted as a potential future world champion. Bearman, who debuted in ADAC and Italian Formula 4 in 2020, made history by winning both championships in a single season, catching the attention of Ferrari’s academy programme. Following a successful F3 debut and two impressive F2 seasons with Prema, Bearman’s F1 debut came in 2024 when he stepped in for ailing Carlos Sainz in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Bearman’s commendable race performance and further Grand Prix appearances for Haas have placed him firmly in the spotlight.
Racing Bulls’ latest recruit, Isack Hadjar, has a proven track record of winning at every level of single-seater competition. The 21-year-old French racer debuted in the French Formula Four Championship at the tender age of 14. Despite a heart-wrenching end to his F2 title challenge, Hadjar’s consistent performance earned him a seat at Racing Bulls as Liam Lawson moved to the senior Red Bull team.
Last, but certainly not least, is Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto. The Brazilian star, under the guidance of Fernando Alonso’s management company, has been making waves since his single-seater debut in 2020. Bortoleto’s crowning glory came in the form of FIA F3 and F2 championships, joining the esteemed ranks of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri. His stellar performance was enough to convince Sauber to snatch him from the McLaren stable for his F1 debut this season.
As these five rookies set their sights on the Australian Grand Prix, the Formula 1 world waits with bated breath. The 2025 season is shaping up to be one of the most compelling in recent history, and these young drivers are set to play a pivotal role. The big question now is: who will rise to the top in this fresh wave of talent? Only time will tell.