A gaggle of rookies joined the Formula 1 grid this year as all but two of the F1 teams opted to shake up their driver line up for 2025.<\/p>\n
Before the season kicked off, we asked F1 TV lead commentator and F2 expert Alex Jacques for his lowdown on the new crop of rookies joining the top tier.<\/a> And now, as the drivers and teams rest up in the summer break, we asked Alex to assess how each of the rookies is doing, midway through their maiden campaign\u2026<\/p>\n Andrea Kimi Antonelli \u2013 Mercedes<\/p>\n Best finish: P3 Stand-out moment so far:<\/p>\n In Miami, his Sprint Pole made him the youngest ever pole-sitter in F1 history at just 18 years and 251 days old.<\/p>\n How has he impressed?<\/p>\n He was able to quickly get to grips with tracks he\u2019d never raced at in North America like Miami, where he out-qualified team mate George Russell for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix itself.<\/p>\n In Montreal, he consistently ran at the front for the first time, assuredly finishing on the podium while becoming the third youngest visitor to the rostrum in F1 history as he did so.<\/p>\n What does he need to work on in the second half of the season?<\/p>\n Finding a way to access his true raw speed again. Too many moments have sapped his confidence in the first 14 rounds and observers who know Kimi\u2019s<\/a> inner strengths as a driver say he is not close to the limit of his natural pace behind the wheel.<\/p>\n Despite a difficult weekend results wise, Budapest was actually a step forward for his confidence behind the wheel and he\u2019ll have to build on that to rediscover the limit.<\/p>\n Verdict: Flashes of brilliance need to become more frequent but it would be unfair to really judge until the end of his first full season.<\/p>\n Oliver Bearman \u2013 Haas<\/p>\n Best finish: P8 Stand-out moment so far:<\/p>\n His brilliant overtakes through the field in Shanghai were thrilling but reaching Q3 on a first visit to Suzuka, qualifying eight places higher than his team mate Esteban Ocon underlined how much talent he has.<\/p>\n How has he impressed?<\/p>\n His one-lap speed has been outstanding at times, and his Qualifying record stands at 7-7 in the head-to-head against a Grand Prix winner. Bearman<\/a> also has shown better race pace than his points return suggests.<\/p>\n What does he need to work on in the second half of the season?<\/p>\n Cutting out basic errors which are ruining his weekend. The red flag penalty at Silverstone spoiled a chance of a top-eight start on a day where a shock podium was open for the midfield. A team like Haas can\u2019t afford for such big points to be lost in that manner.<\/p>\n Verdict: Enough pace to encourage both team and driver but early points after the summer break would provide reassurance to both that he\u2019s on the right track.<\/p>\n Gabriel Bortoleto – Sauber<\/p>\n Best finish: P6 Stand-out moment so far:<\/p>\n The last Grand Prix! An outstanding drive just 14 Sundays in, taking a step forward in Q3 for the first time when it counted with a career-best Qualifying and then looking really strong throughout the race to claim P6.<\/p>\n How has he impressed?<\/p>\n In Qualifying. Few would have predicted he\u2019d be ahead in the head-to-head battle with one of Formula 1\u2019s Qualifying kings of recent years but he leads 8-6 on merit over Nico Hulkenberg.<\/p>\n Also his overall ability to work with his experienced team mate has impressed those at Hinwil. Converting big chances into points in Austria and Hungary has been another big plus.<\/p>\n What does he need to work on in the second half of the season?<\/p>\n Repeating the improvement in Q3. Now he knows how to improve in the final Qualifying session (as he did in Hungary), repeating this could make a huge difference to Sauber\u2019s hopes in the Constructors\u2019 Championship.<\/p>\n Verdict: It\u2019s wonderful that the reigning F2 champion is on the grid and now looks like he has the car to show his talent.<\/p>\n Jack Doohan \/ Franco Colapinto – Alpine<\/p>\n Best finish: Doohan P13 \/ Colapinto P13 Stand-out moment so far:<\/p>\n Both drivers have had occasions where they out-qualified Pierre Gasly in their time with the team \u2013 and Gasly is no slouch having turned heads by making seven Q3 appearances in what is the 10th fastest car on the grid.<\/p>\n How have they impressed?<\/p>\n In truth, Alpine<\/a> have struggled to make the second seat work this year. Jack Doohan started his first season in F1 with a media day full of questions about being replaced and two big crashes in Melbourne and Suzuka.<\/p>\n When he was axed just two months into the season, he had just out-paced his highly-rated French team mate for the first time, in Miami.<\/p>\n What does Colapinto need to work on in the second half of the season?<\/p>\n
\nTotal points: 64<\/p>\n
\nTotal points: 8<\/p>\n
\nTotal points: 14<\/p>\n
\nTotal points: 0<\/p>\n