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.
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 “the next Mercedes driver” because of Hamilton's legacy. The first time Antonelli visited an F1 paddock was age eight in 2014 when his father Marco — who ran a team in a support series — hid him in a stack of tires under an umbrella to get past security and into the German Grand Prix. “That was a really cool experience,” 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 he’s taken part in 11 F1 races since 2023, though never a full season. He says he’ll feel “more like a rookie” at the start of the season on tracks he hasn’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 Bull’s decision to elevate him over his 2024 teammate — and former roommate — Yuki Tsunoda, who outperformed Lawson over their six races together last year.
Oliver Bearman
It'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. He'd never previously raced in Jeddah and was racing with two days' 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 Ferrari'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. Alpine's decision to sign ex-Williams driver Franco Colapinto as reserve means a would-be replacement is available if Doohan doesn't impress team management. “You’re always going to have pressure on your shoulders because you’re in such a cut-throat sport,” Doohan said. The Australian driver placed third in F2 in 2023 but didn'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
Lawson'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 don't perform. Even eight-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo didn't last a full year there in 2024.
Gabriel Bortoleto
Despite winning the F2 title last season, beating Hadjar, Antonelli and Bearman, Bortoleto's arrival in F1 has been overshadowed by his former rivals. That'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 F1's first full-time Brazilian driver since 2017.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
James Ellingworth, The Associated Press
