Formula 1 is known as the pinnacle of motorsports, and because of this, it’s considered one of the most competitive sports around. Making it through the lower levels of go-karting all the way to Formula 2 is very difficult, and securing one of the 20 seats in Formula 1 is a challenge in and of itself. In 2025, three drivers will be entering their rookie seasons of Formula 1, which is something to celebrate! While F1 is obviously about the driving, an equally important part of the sport is getting to know the drivers, so it’s time to learn a little about the fresh faces who will be gracing the grid next year.
Oliver Bearman
While 2025 will be Oliver Bearman’s first season in Formula 1, it will not be his first time participating in a Grand Prix. Bearman is currently the reserve driver for both Scuderia Ferrari and Haas F1 and stepped in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen this past season. Bearman made his F1 race debut during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when Sainz fell ill due to appendicitis and experienced an entire F1 weekend in Azerbaijan when Magnussen was serving a race ban. The Englishman only spent one season in Formula 2 before his promotion to Formula 1 was announced, and based on what he’s already shown us during his short stints in F1 this past year, I have a feeling Bearmen won’t have any issues acclimating to the full-time position. While Bearman is the reserve driver for both Ferrari and Haas, Haas will be the team he gets to call home for the 2025 season, with current Alpine driver Esteban Ocon assuming the role of his teammate. Next year, Bearman will replace Kevin Magnussen, and Ocon will replace current Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
There was lots of talk this year about who would take the empty Mercedes seat after Lewis Hamilton announced his departure and switch to Ferrari. Many names of current F1 drivers were floating around, but there was one lesser-known name that kept popping up: Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli is a rising star in motorsports and has caught the eye of Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, and many other important figures in Formula 1. At only 18 years old, the Italian driver has already made a name for himself in the lower rankings, skipping Formula 3 and going straight to Formula 2 in early 2024. While some fans are hesitant about Antonelli’s quick advancement to Formula 1 due to his little experience in F3 and F2, many others are excited to see how his driving style will develop under Wolff’s tutelage. In 2025, Antonelli’s teammate will be current Mercedes driver George Russell, and as aforementioned, he’ll be replacing 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Jack Doohan
Aussie Jack Doohan is no stranger to motorsports. His father, Mick Doohan, is a former 5-time world champion in motorcycle racing, and Jack himself started go-karting competitively in 2012. Doohan soon made his way up the ranks from Formula 4, to Formula 3, to Formula 2, and even finished third in the 2023 Formula 2 championship. Currently, Jack Doohan serves as the reserve driver for Alpine, which will be his team for next year. Doohan will replace current driver Esteban Ocon, and his teammate will be Pierre Gasly.
This current season of Formula 1 has been extremely entertaining, to say the least, and the news that three new drivers will be joining the grid in 2025 just adds to the excitement. As a fan, it’s so exciting to see how new drivers will interact with the returning grid members, and see how they’ll react to the different machinery. Formula 1 in 2025 will be a whole different world than how it is this year, and I can’t wait to see how Bearman, Antonelli, and Doohan will fare!