The expectations for this first Grand Prix of 2025 were enormous. First and foremost, how Lewis Hamilton would perform at the wheel of a Ferrari, but also what the six young rookies on the grid would bring home; of them, only two made it to the finish line. The biggest mistake came from Isack Hadjar, the RB driver who lost control of his car on the formation lap. Helmut Marko showed no leniency and immediately spoke out after the Australian GP.
In 2025, following a season where all 20 drivers were retained, there are many debutants. However, the true rookies are only three: Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli, and Gabriel Bortoleto. The other three— Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, and Liam Lawson—have already completed at least one full Formula 1 race weekend.
For none of them, except for the Mercedes driver, was this Australian round an easy one. First, it is a circuit where no testing is conducted, the barriers are extremely close, and even the slightest mistake comes at a high price. Making things even more difficult was the torrential rain that hit on Sunday, creating a challenge for all the young drivers.
The first victim was Isack Hadjar. The French driver, against all odds, had shown from the very first free practice sessions that he was up to the highest level of motorsport. His gap to Tsunoda was never significant, and in FP1, he even finished ahead of him.
However, when things got serious, as expected, the Japanese driver’s experience came into play. In qualifying, Tsunoda was the only Racing Bulls driver to reach Q3. Isack Hadjar had to settle for Q2, where he secured an excellent eleventh place with a best time of 1:16.176, less than two-tenths behind his teammate.
But in the race, disaster struck. As soon as the formation lap began under Melbourne’s downpour, Isack Hadjar lost control of his car coming out of Turn 1, crashing into the barriers. His Grand Prix was over before it even started. His disappointment was immense. With his helmet on, visor down, and tears in his eyes, he walked through the paddock, where Lewis Hamilton’s father came to support and console him.
Immediately after the race, with no mercy, Helmut Marko spoke in an interview with Austrian broadcaster ORF. “He put on a moving spectacle. It was a bit embarrassing.” This marked a complete turnaround from his comments in the weeks leading up to Australia, when he had called Isack Hadjar “a top-tier driver compared to other second-tier rookies.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner had a completely different take. “It was truly heartbreaking to see him so devastated—it was his first Grand Prix. The positives he must take from this weekend, once he clears his mind, are the strong results he achieved in practice and qualifying. We often forget that they are just young guys. There was obviously a lot of pressure on him today.”
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