Formula One: Who Are The Rookies That Are Targeting F1 Podium In 2025?

Andrea Kimi Antonelli once hid in a stack of tires to get through security and into the Formula 1 paddock. Now the 18-year-old Italian is Lewis Hamilton's successor at Mercedes. (More Motorsport News)

Antonelli is among F1's biggest intake of new drivers in years as top teams put some trust in youth. Six of the 20 drivers on the 2025 grid are starting their first full seasons in F1. Some could potentially compete for wins. Others already risk losing a hard-won F1 seat.

An unexpectedly talented Formula 2 field last season came at a time when some F1 teams were keen to move on from older drivers like Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. Switching in 2025 gives teams a chance to let youngsters gain experience before the F1 car design rules change radically for 2026.

Here's a look at the rookie class:

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Stepping into a seven-time champion's shoes at Mercedes puts the spotlight on Antonelli, who is set to become the third-youngest F1 driver ever. The Italian wants to be known as just 바카라�the next Mercedes driver바카라� because of Hamilton's legacy. The first time Antonelli visited an F1 paddock was age eight in 2014 when his father Marco 바카라� who ran a team in a support series 바카라� hid him in a stack of tires under an umbrella to get past security and into the German Grand Prix.

바카라�That was a really cool experience,바카라� he said last month. Antonelli had a stellar record in junior series and was sixth in F2 last year but a heavy crash in practice for Mercedes at Monza in August was a tough introduction to F1.

Liam Lawson

The Red Bull driver is the odd man out in this list because he바카라�s taken part in 11 F1 races since 2023, though never a full season. He says he바카라�ll feel 바카라�more like a rookie바카라� at the start of the season on tracks he hasn바카라�t raced before.

Partnering four-time champion Max Verstappen as the replacement for Perez is a daunting task for Lawson, who knocked Verstappen out of qualifying in only his third F1 race in Singapore in 2023.

The New Zealander needs to justify Red Bull바카라�s decision to elevate him over his 2024 teammate 바카라� and former roommate 바카라� Yuki Tsunoda, who outperformed Lawson over their six races together last year.

Oliver Bearman

It바카라�s less than a year since Bearman burst onto the scene in F1 with a combative seventh-place finish for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia while Carlos Sainz Jr. was sidelined because of surgery. He바카라�d never previously raced in Jeddah and was racing with two days바카라� notice.

Bearman beat experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg in two races for Haas later that year and is now a full-time Haas driver for 2025. Bearman remains part of Ferrari바카라�s junior program but displacing regular Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc is unlikely any time soon.

Jack Doohan

The son of legendary motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan enters 2025 with his F1 career under threat as soon as it has begun. Alpine바카라�s decision to sign ex-Williams driver Franco Colapinto as reserve means a would-be replacement is available if Doohan doesn바카라�t impress team management.

바카라�You바카라�re always going to have pressure on your shoulders because you바카라�re in such a cut-throat sport,바카라� Doohan said. The Australian driver placed third in F2 in 2023 but didn바카라�t race at all last year until a surprise entry for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Finishing 15th, he was far off the pace of teammate Pierre Gasly in seventh.

Isack Hadjar

Lawson바카라�s promotion to Red Bull left an opening at its second team, now rebranded Racing Bulls, for F2 runner-up Hadjar. The French driver arrives at a team with a history of changing drivers mid-season if they don바카라�t perform. Even eight-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo didn바카라�t last a full year there in 2024.

Gabriel Bortoleto

Despite winning the F2 title last season, beating Hadjar, Antonelli and Bearman, Bortoleto바카라�s arrival in F1 has been overshadowed by his former rivals.

That바카라�s partly because his new team Sauber struggled last year and is marking time before a full rebrand as the Audi works team in 2026. With a helmet design paying tribute to three-time champion Ayrton Senna, Bortoleto is F1바카라�s first full-time Brazilian driver since 2017.