There is a rookie in Formula 1 who continues to impress, so much so that he has caught the eye of several top teams, including Red Bull. The rookies of the 2025 Formula 1 season are all standing out in their own ways. Some more than others. Expectations were particularly high for Italian talent Kimi Antonelli, called up by Mercedes to replace Lewis Hamilton after the multiple world champion announced his move to Ferrari.
We have also seen Oliver Bearman back on the grid, already familiar from last season when he made a few appearances in Formula 1. In 2024, he replaced the unwell Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Jeddah and later filled in for Kevin Magnussen at Haas.
At Alpine, the team quickly changed one of its drivers, as rookie Jack Doohan failed to meet expectations. In his place, Flavio Briatore decided to call up Franco Colapinto. Over at Red Bull, Isack Hadjar, already part of their junior programme, was promoted, while at Sauber, under the leadership of Mattia Binotto, the team chose to pair rookie Gabriel Bortoleto alongside Nico Hulkenberg.
At the start of the season, all eyes were firmly on Antonelli, who began the year in impressive fashion. However, after a few setbacks, he is now trying to bounce back. Meanwhile, the top teams have started to focus on another rookie who had initially been underestimated.
For the sixth consecutive time, Bortoleto outqualified his experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg. In addition, after the Italian Grand Prix, he scored points for the fourth race in a row, crossing the line in eighth place. These consistent results are beginning to make waves in the paddock.
Several figures within Formula 1 are convinced that Bortoleto is a rising star. “Gabriel Bortoleto has shown his potential as a future star of Formula 1 and all the biggest teams are interested in him,” said Ted Kravitz on his podcast.
The young Brazilian’s immediate future, however, remains tied to Sauber, as the team prepares for its transformation into Audi next season.
Former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert believes that Red Bull should seriously consider Bortoleto rather than Isack Hadjar, even though Hadjar is having a solid season himself and is currently seen as the favourite to replace Yuki Tsunoda next year.
Speaking to Racing Tipster, Herbert highlighted a decisive factor: “The advantage for him is that he has Fernando Alonso as his manager. That could give him that extra ingredient to keep improving, while Hadjar does not have someone like Fernando behind him. He has to do it all on his own. Bortoleto competes against Alonso, one of the greatest of all time, and he is learning from that experience and developing a stronger competitive awareness.”
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