The 2025 Formula 1 season has been enriched by an unusually large group of rookies. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto, Jack Doohan, Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto and Liam Lawson are all about to complete their first full season in the Formula 1 paddock. Franco Colapinto and Liam Lawson had already taken part in some races in 2024, but for both drivers this can be considered their first proper year competing continuously.
Naturally, there is plenty of interest in discovering which of these talents will secure their first career honour as Rookie of the Year. At the start of the season, Doohan and Colapinto were quickly ruled out of the fight. During the European rounds, Kimi Antonelli also dropped out of contention. The Italian youngster has recovered remarkably well in recent races, but he suffered a significant dip in form during the European leg. Considering he drives for Mercedes, he was expected to achieve more, at least in the view of the writer. Right now he certainly deserves more than a passing grade thanks to his recent performances, but it may not be enough.
Rookie of the Year 2025: the final showdown
And “not enough” is especially true when compared to what Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls and Oliver Bearman at Haas have been doing. Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a solid middle part of the season, but Hadjar and Bearman have clearly shown something extra. Hadjar managed to take a third place in the Netherlands and is currently ninth in the Drivers’ Championship, just behind Alexander Albon, with 51 points. This is particularly impressive considering he drives for Racing Bulls, generally regarded as the sixth-strongest team on the grid. On top of that, even as team leader, he is also outperforming Liam Lawson, another rookie this season.
Ollie Bearman, meanwhile, found himself at the wheel of the Haas — a team that certainly was not coming from an easy period — with a double challenge: contributing to the team’s performance growth while also avoiding being overshadowed by his more experienced teammate, Esteban Ocon. Oliver needed a few races to get up to speed, but from the Dutch Grand Prix onward — where he finished fourth — he has put together an impressive run of points. His record since Zandvoort includes one fourth place and two sixth places, a sequence that now places him 12th in the standings with 41 points, and importantly, nine points ahead of Ocon.
Ollie Bearman now appears to be leading the Rookie of the Year battle heading into the final races, although Isack Hadjar cannot be ruled out given his strong results — a podium is always a podium. The British driver’s trend suggests he can perform well in the final two rounds of the season. Sitting just ten points behind Isack Hadjar, the Ferrari Driver Academy talent will surely try to overtake him. And if he succeeds, beating Hadjar would truly be “the icing on the cake” of an already excellent rookie season.
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