F1 2025’s big rookie class will boost my debut campaign

Oliver Bearman believes the unexpectedly large crop of rookie drivers joining him in Formula 1 2025 will provide a lift for his first full-time year with Haas.

The 19-year-old is one of six rookies on the F1 grid in 2025 after the 2024 season began with zero driver market transfers. 

It then started to change last February when Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for this year was announced, while Bearman subsequently made his grand prix debut in Jeddah replacing the appendicitis-addled Carlos Sainz at the Scuderia in March.

Bearman impressed by finishing seventh at the season’s second round and it opened doors to several younger racers hoping of that step-up to F1. With so many rookies on this year’s grid, the now Haas driver thinks the group forms a handy shield to the intense pressure that inevitably builds around debut campaigns in the series.

“I was the first person to be announced,” Bearman told Autosport in an exclusive interview. “I was meant to be a rookie but for a few months I was the only rookie on the grid. And that’s a bit of a daunting prospect.

“Knowing that there’s other rookies is of course a little comforting – just to know that I’m not the only one going through a new season and a new challenge. There’s other people doing it with me, which is of course a nice feeling.”

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Motorsport Images

The number of rookies in F1 2025 is boosted by Red Bull adding two more new racers (Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson) to the historic pool as part of its junior driver programme – with the 11 races already started by Lawson complicating his categorisation as a series newbie.

But prior to Bearman’s one-off appearance in Saudi Arabia, it was considered widely unlikely so many other teams would opt to trust young racers with F1 berths on such a scale, as the previous preference for experienced hands held firm across the midfield.

While the frontrunning Mercedes was already going its own way in backing Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace Hamilton, as McLaren did with Oscar Piastri in 2023, Bearman’s Jeddah performance convinced Haas to push on with preparing him to be a full-time driver.

This was an idea that had begun forming at the team after his first appearance in one of its F1 cars during opening practice at the 2023 Mexican GP. Bearman’s status as a Ferrari junior also meant Haas could budget save regarding his salary.

The lower price tags commanded by rookies also boosted the case for Alpine to promote its junior Jack Doohan to replace Haas-bound Esteban Ocon and for Sauber to sign back-to-back Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto.

At the same time, the static car design rules in 2025 also mean the teams opting to run rookies can bed in their new signings ahead of the major chassis and engine regulation changes coming for 2026.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Reserve Driver, Ferrari and Haas F1 Team, play pickleball in the Paddock

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Bearman also explained how he knows “them all quite well”, from his experience of racing alongside his fellow 2025 rookies (bar Lawson) in lower formula championships on the F1 support bill.

“I raced Jack in F2 in 2023,” he added. “So, I’ve raced all of them. But Kimi, Gabriel and Isack – I actually raced last year and we have a good relationship,

“Specifically Kimi. I’ve been his team-mate for a year, but also, Gabri, we’ve been friends for a few years and racing each other for a few years too.

“So, I’m really excited to share the track with them this year. And also Jack, he had his [first F1 race with Alpine] race in Abu Dhabi, so it’s all coming together and it’s really cool.”