Kimi Antonelli joins Mercedes after years of success in the junior categories, even though his year in F2 was a growing curve. The Silver Arrows see in him the potential to become one of the greats of the future. Two key aspects have impressed many insiders, which are closely linked: his raw speed and his ability to quickly find the limit.
Helmut Marko, an expert in young talents as the overseer of Red Bull’s junior program, analyzed the characteristics of the rookies on the 2025 grid and emphasized that Kimi Antonelli is a step above the rest, particularly in terms of speed.
However, the Red Bull advisor also pointed out the immense pressure surrounding the Italian: debuting directly with Mercedes adds responsibility, and the Anglo-German team will undoubtedly need to protect him as he develops.
“He is clearly a top-tier driver, although he is under immense pressure. His performances are impressive—he has already covered around 10,000 kilometers but has also had two major crashes,” Marko told ServusTV, referring to Antonelli’s Monza accident when he entered Parabolica with so much speed that he lost control.
“Of course, Toto Wolff wants to replicate Max Verstappen’s story at Mercedes. However, stepping straight into a top team will be a challenge for him. But in terms of potential, he is undoubtedly a top-tier driver.”
Antonelli’s sheer speed is one of the reasons Mercedes has invested in him. It is often said that it is easier to refine a naturally fast driver than to make a reliable but unremarkable driver truly quick. This is where Helmut Marko sees a difference between Antonelli and last year’s Formula 2 champion, Gabriel Bortoleto.
This year, the Brazilian will debut in Formula 1 with Sauber after winning the Formula 2 and Formula 3 titles in consecutive years—an achievement managed by only a few drivers. However, analyzing how those titles were won reveals that Bortoleto, while fast, relies heavily on consistency. In recent years, consistency has been a decisive factor in F2, especially when multiple rivals take points off each other.
“I would classify him as a second-tier driver. He is very intelligent—he won in Formula 3 but with only one victory [actually two, editor’s note]. He tends to stay out of trouble. In Formula 2, he has won only two races so far. He is a driver who brings the car home, has a solid understanding of strategy and tire management, but I don’t see that final burst of speed in him.”
Oliver Bearman is another promising rookie from the junior series, having already made a strong impression in his three F1 races so far—except for Brazil, where he was driving an F1 car in torrential rain on an unfamiliar track for the first time.
Although Marko does not see in him the same level of raw speed as Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Bearman also has the potential to become a leading figure in F1’s future. During his junior career, he has proven to be quick, but at times inconsistent, with several ups and downs.
As Oliver Bearman himself admitted, one of the aspects he aimed to improve for his second F2 season was consistency and reducing errors, as he sometimes felt he could have achieved more. This is a trait Marko also recognizes: “Bearman is very fast, but he had many crashes in Formula 2 and Formula 3 because he takes big risks. He operates on the edge. Maybe he won’t reach the top as quickly as Antonelli, but he is definitely a top-tier driver.”
At Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s talent development team, Isack Hadjar will make his F1 debut. Last year, he lost the F2 title in the final race, partly due to technical issues, including a stall on the grid in the decisive race.
“Hadjar lost the championship by only 4-5 points. Our analysts calculated that he lost about 80 points due to technical failures and other problems,” Marko added. However, he also pointed out that Hadjar needs to learn to control his emotions, as he, like Yuki Tsunoda, often has a fiery temperament over the radio. “He is fast. I would say that if he continues to develop and learns to control his emotions, he has top-tier potential.”
Marko was much more direct in his assessment of Jack Doohan, whose future at Alpine is already under scrutiny before the season even begins, despite the team principal assuring him of support for the first few races. “He is a third-tier driver. I don’t think he will finish the season,” Marko concluded.
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