The former British driver has no doubts.
Choosing which debutant has performed best in the 2025 season is genuinely difficult, because Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Oliver Bearman, and Gabriel Bortoleto have all delivered, regardless of the machinery at their disposal, several standout moments and race weekends worthy of applause.
In this abundance of talent and fresh air for the Formula 1 of the future, there is inevitably an embarrassment of choice. Among those who point to Isack Hadjar as the best rookie of 2025 is former driver Johnny Herbert.
“The one who impressed me the most is Isack Hadjar,” said the former British driver when speaking to NewBettingSites, “because he knew how to react to a sporting drama like the one that happened in Melbourne on his debut. In Australia he went straight into the barriers after just a few hundred meters on the reconnaissance lap. In the races that followed he was outstanding and, above all, very fast in qualifying, always right on the edge of the third row. I found his performance truly impressive, especially in light of what had happened in Melbourne.”
Isack Hadjar went on to step onto the podium at Zandvoort and earned his promotion to Red Bull for the 2026 season. The French driver will become Max Verstappen’s new garage mate, and it will be interesting to see how Hadjar handles a situation that has already put many drivers under pressure, including his fellow countryman Pierre Gasly.
The rise of Isack Hadjar serves as a testament to the importance of mental fortitude in the modern F1 paddock. While other rookies showed flashes of brilliance, Hadjar’s ability to rebuild his confidence after a nightmare start suggests he possesses the psychological edge required to survive in the Red Bull pressure cooker. As he prepares to step into one of the most coveted seats on the grid, his 2025 campaign will be remembered as the moment he proved he belongs among the elite.
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