The young Italian Kimi Antonelli drives for Mercedes. © www.picturedesk.com / Federico Basile

Antonelli & Co: 6 rookies step on the gas

Six young men are entering their first season as regular drivers in Formula 1 this year – something that has never happened before in the history of the premier class of motorsport.

March 12, 2025

From: apa/sn

It's striking that two of the four top teams are also relying on newcomers: Red Bull's New Zealander Liam Lawson, and Mercedes' 18-year-old Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The others are Oliver Bearman (Haas), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber).

The focus is particularly on Antonelli, who, after outstanding performances in various European junior series, skipped Formula 3 entirely and was only active in Formula 2 for one year. He achieved two victories there in 2024 and also completed nearly 10.000 kilometers of testing in an old Mercedes F1 car. Team boss Toto Wolff had seen enough last summer to give Antonelli the cockpit, vacated by Lewis Hamilton's departure to Ferrari, for 2025 and beyond.

Toto Wolff is convinced of Kimi Antonelli's potential. © ANSA / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / POOL

"Kimi is mature," the Viennese driver said several times about the first Italian Formula 1 driver since Antonio Giovinazzi in 2021. That doesn't mean the youngster is expected to immediately achieve top positions. The team wants to do everything possible to make his adjustment as easy as possible and to ease the pressure. "We tell him: Nobody expects you to win right away, to beat George Russell, or to compete for a championship," Wolff explained.

Lawson takes on Verstappen

On Lawson Meanwhile, Lawson faces the task of competing alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen. In an environment that is more tailored to a single driver than perhaps any other team. Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, and most recently Sergio Perez have more or less "worn out" Verstappen as a teammate; for Perez, this led to the end of his Formula 1 career. The 23-year-old Lawson has already competed in eleven races for AlphaTauri and RB and scored six World Championship points.

Liam Lawson is Max Verstappen's new teammate. © APA/afp / WILLIAM WEST

Doohan is the son of motorcycle legend Mick Doohan and already competed in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for Alpine last December. Like Lawson, the 22-year-old Australian is expected to perform well from the start, otherwise the pressure from within his own team will increase: Alpine reserve driver Franco Colapinto from Argentina is pushing for Formula 1 himself and is eyeing his cockpit.

Bearman is said to have great potential

The 19 year old Bearman He drove one race for Ferrari as a reserve driver in 2024 and drove the Haas racing car in two Grands Prix. The tall Briton is also a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and is considered a great talent, but there is currently no place for him at the Scuderia.

The 20-year-old Frenchman Hadjar and the same age Brazilian Bortoleto have each earned their chance with strong performances in Formula 2. Bortoleto, who is advised by Fernando Alonso, was champion in 2024. Runner-up Hadjar has already been dubbed "the little Alain Prost" by Red Bull's head of junior development, Helmut Marko.