1 week Ago By Sam Cooper
Formula 1 saw five rookies enter the grid so with that same number of races done, we thought we would take a look at who has performed the best out of them. Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan all joined F1 this season, but already some have excelled while some may be looking nervously over their shoulder. 0 points (6 points behind team-mate) Jack Doohan may have had one race to prepare for his first full season but he has still struggled since 2025 began.
In fairness to the Australian, the situation surrounding his entry was hardly fair, with Alpine spending a fortune to bring Franco Colapinto in and make Doohan’s spot seem at risk even before a wheel had turned. But on the track, he has made a couple of costly mistakes and looks a long way off the pace of Pierre Gasly. 0 points (6 points behind team-mate) No one was expecting much from Sauber this year, but Gabriel Bortoleto has already become a forgettable name at the back of the grid.
His best finish has been 14th, and while Nico Hulkenberg has managed to make it into the points, the Brazilian remains on zero. Sauber and Audi clearly think he is one for the future, so there is not much concern about his seat, but he will not want to end his debut season on the same points he started it with. 5 points (5 ahead of team-mate) Of the four Red Bull drivers this season, it is Isack Hadjar who has flown most under the radar, and it has been to his benefit.
The Racing Bulls car is quick and, as Liam Lawson has said, has a larger operating window than the Red Bull – making it an ideal car for a rookie to do well in. Hadjar has done just that. A rookie error to crash before his first-ever race on the formation lap in Australia has turned into solid performances, including points scores in three races.
6 points (8 behind team-mate) Considering his super-sub appearances of 2024, it should come as little surprise that Ollie Berman has adapted quickly to life in F1. The Haas car seems more track-dependent than most, but when it is quick, the 19-year-old has got the most out of it. He has scored points in three of the five races so far and even a mistake in quali in Bahrain, which saw him start 20th, was turned into P10 by some excellent driving.
Why the time has come for Lando Norris to unleash his dark side The five key reasons Lewis Hamilton hasn’t clicked with Ferrari 38 points (35 behind team-mate) Filling the shoes of Lewis Hamilton was the gig nobody wanted but perhaps Mercedes’ choice to opt for youth was a wise one. Far from his FP1 crash of last year, Kimi Antonelli has hit the ground running in F1, scoring points in all but one race and is currently sixth in the Driver’s standings. He may still be a step behind George Russell, but you suspect the 18-year-old will only get better as the year goes on.
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