The 2025 season has introduced six new full-time drivers to Formula 1, each bringing different strengths, expectations, and challenges. In this blog, we’ll rank them in the order and explain why that ordering reflects how their seasons have gone so far.
1. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
No rookie has made a bigger splash this season than Isack Hadjar. From his debut, he has shown speed, composure, and the capacity to punch above his machinery.
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Podium: His standout moment was at the Dutch Grand Prix, where he claimed his first F1 podium. In tricky, shifting conditions with safety cars, Hadjar stayed calm and executed a near-flawless race.
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Qualifying & pace: He has made Q3 multiple times and often qualified ahead of more experienced drivers. He consistently beats his teammate Tsunoda, which underscores his raw talent.
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Consistency & racecraft: There have been fewer rookie mistakes. Even in tougher races, Hadjar extracts points and keeps the car clean.
His only limitations: occasional tyre degradation in longer stints and relative inexperience on certain tracks. But given how much he’s delivered so far, he easily sits atop this rookie class.
2. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Hype followed Antonelli into F1, and so far he’s justified much of it. As Mercedes’ new junior star, he’s handled pressure and performance demands well for his age.
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Steady scoring plus a podium: Antonelli has collected points in a solid majority of races and grabbed a podium in Canada. With Mercedes’ improving package, he’s starting to climb from midfield toward consistent top-five finishes.
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Error control: He has avoided drama. No major crashes, no glaring blunders yet besides his crash with Verstappen in Austria. For a teenager in a high-profile ride, that’s impressive.
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Qualifying growth: He frequently competes well in qualifying, pushing into Q2 and occasionally threatening Q3 despite tough competition.
He will be hoping to grab another podium before the season ends and if Mercedes get consistent updates, Antonelli could reach that threshold before season’s end.
3. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
Bearman has carried over momentum from his stand-in cameo into a strong full-season debut. Haas isn’t always front-running, but Bearman is making the most of it.
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Points finishes: He’s racked up multiple top-10s, particularly in chaotic or changeable races where driver skill counts.
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Resilience: After earlier penalty issues (he approached 10 penalty points), Bearman has steadied his approach. His radio messages are calmer, and his driving less aggressive in risk zones.
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Adaptability: In races with high attrition or mixed conditions, he’s often among the gainers, highlighting his talent in tough environments.
Limitations: his car’s consistency and outright pace aren’t always enough to fight midfield regulars, and in clean races he tends to slip back. But as a rookie in a less-than-ideal car, his results have been commendable.
4. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
Though not technically a first-season rookie (he drove a few races in 2023 and 2024), this is Lawson’s first full season, and it’s been a mix of promise and variability.
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Strong race pace: He has shown excellent ability in race situations, particularly in wheel-to-wheel battles and when extracting late gains.
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Qualifying inconsistency: Bar his P3 in Baku Lawson sometimes struggles in qualifying or falls victim to traffic or balance issues.
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Seat pressure: With Racing Bulls’ junior program pushing Hadjar, Lawson’s performance is under extra scrutiny. Each race is a message to his future.
If he can tighten up qualifying and minimize strategic or mechanical misfortune, Lawson could climb higher in the standings. He has the raw tools; he must make them consistent.
5. Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber)
Bortoleto’s rookie season has arguably been the toughest of the six, given the limitations of his car and team context. Yet he continues to show glimpses of promise.
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Survivor approach: Many weekends he brings the car home, avoids crashes, and gains experience. Those are solid foundations for a rookie.
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Wet conditions standout: When it rains or track evolves, his control and feel for grip have stood out occasionally, hinting at latent potential.
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Qualifying vs race: He has sometimes struggled in qualifying but improved his consistency through the season.
Sauber’s package limits how much Bortoleto can show. But if the team invests and upgrades, he could extract more. For now, he sits low, but his upside remains.
6. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
Colapinto’s season has been challenging. As Alpine’s rookie, he’s had to adapt to a team in transition and a car that hasn’t consistently allowed performance breakthroughs.
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Sparse results: Points finishes are rare, more due to the car’s weaknesses than driver deficits.
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Learning focus: His improvements over the season are subtle but noticeable — better feedback, more optimum setups, fewer mistakes.
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Limited highlight moments: He’s had flashes of pace but not yet the headline drive that elevates his profile.
Colapinto’s rookie year feels more of a building block than a showcase. With Alpine likely restructuring or rethinking for 2026/2027, he may have more chances later — but this year, the deck was stacked against him.
Final Thoughts
This year’s rookie class is deep with potential. Hadjar leads by a clear margin — he’s delivered not just talent but results under pressure. Antonelli follows closely as a rising star with temperament and pace. Bearman continues to impress in a less dominant car, Lawson fights for consistency, Bortoleto survives and flashes, and Colapinto builds his foundation.
As the season progresses, the rankings may shift — but for now, this ordering reflects who has adapted fastest, scored most smartly, and shown the best blend of speed, composure, and potential. The next handful of races may confirm or shake up these rookie narratives — and make future superstars even clearer.
