Regardless of the bulk having earlier Formulation 1 expertise, historical past will replicate that six rookies began the 2025 season on the Australian Grand Prix – and it was a chastening expertise for all however certainly one of them.
Whereas the changeable circumstances noticed 4 crash out, plus one endure a troublesome weekend and end final, Andrea Kimi Antonelli gave a glimpse of his enormous potential by taking fifth place for Mercedes.
Motorsport.com checked out how the sextet fared round Albert Park on what was a memorable begin to the marketing campaign.
Excessive-five for Antonelli
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs
Whether or not you see Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s direct alternative or not, he stood out head and shoulders above the opposite 5 rookies with a wonderful efficiency.
Beginning down in sixteenth, the 18-year-old confirmed maturity to maneuver up by the pack, making notable overtakes – together with twice passing Nico Hulkenberg in close to carbon copy strikes, having let the skilled Sauber man again by after a spin.
Mercedes group principal Toto Wolff referred to as the drive “mega” as Antonelli crossed the road fourth however was in the end dropped to fifth following a five-second penalty for an unsafe pitstop launch into the trail of Hulkenberg.
“I feel at this time we received all of the doable worst circumstances for a primary race,” he mentioned. “We received moist, slicks on damp, slicks on moist, after which again to moist. So undoubtedly a extremely, actually eventful race, however I’m actually pleased the way it was managed from my aspect and from the group.
“After all, I did a few errors, particularly the spin, however the circumstances have been tremendous, tremendous tough. Additionally these white traces have been a killer.
“The group actually helped me all through the entire race and made all the correct calls, and [I] undoubtedly can not complain about at this time.”
Talking to Sky Sports activities F1, Wolff gave a glowing overview of Antonelli’s debut show: “He simply reeled them in one after the other, confirmed the tempo when he had no visitors, after which finally ended up P4 on the highway and P5 from a outcome, and that is actually spectacular.
“Even superb drivers spun or hit the wall, and it is simpler to not end than to complete. He saved his cool and it was simply very spectacular to see, and it exhibits that he has a great future so long as the trajectory retains being like it’s.”
Ollie has to smile and bear it
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Crew
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs
For Oliver Bearman, it might be seen as a optimistic that the 19-year-old completed the race for Haas, given he had crashed out in free observe one and three – sitting out the second session as a result of harm to his automobile.
He additionally struggled in moist climate as a stand-in for Haas finally yr’s Brazilian Grand Prix however introduced the automobile dwelling in Melbourne, even when he was final of the runners to take the chequered flag.
Ranging from the pitlane, Bearman was happy together with his efficiency though he conceded Haas would want to seek out enhancements transferring ahead.
“It is an achievement simply to complete a race like this as a result of they’re extremely troublesome,” mentioned the British racer.
“After all, I do not need to dwell on the previous. I need to do away with it and transfer on to the subsequent one. I am not happy with my errors, however to complete the race in a great way on my aspect offers me confidence going to China.
“This inter tyre could be very robust when it begins to rain once more and I used to be pleased with my efficiency and execution, even when as a group we’re nonetheless lacking tempo.
“[It is] extremely, extremely robust to drive the automobile in these circumstances. It is the hardest you will discover and even when in Brazil I used to be preventing for the factors and now I am preventing to actually catch or keep on the pack, it is a completely different sort of race in comparison with the one I used to be in in Brazil.
“However identical push and drive, and I am glad that I’ve discovered from the errors I made in Brazil and had a comparatively error-free race.”
A-Borted begin
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs
Gabriel Bortoleto outqualified team-mate Hulkenberg, not unhealthy for a person beginning his first F1 race to a wizened campaigner of 228 grand prix.
The Brazilian has been batting away questions surrounding remarks from Pink Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who labelled the 20-year-old a “B” grade driver.
He in the end crashed out within the latter levels in Australia however had regarded in good condition, all issues thought-about, till that time – though he was hit with a five-second penalty for an unsafe launch.
“Clearly not a straightforward begin. I might say it was a great weekend total for all the training we received there,” mentioned the back-to-back F3 and F2 champion.
“Sadly, it did not end as we anticipated. Fortunately for the group, Nico scored some good factors and I am very pleased for them. I am sorry for my mistake there. I attempted to get well a bit what we misplaced within the security automobile and I am wanting ahead to China now.
“We take some positives from this weekend. We study from the negatives, and heads up. It is just the start of an extended season.
“I used to be very near Nico the entire race on inters. Then we went to pit after which we double-stacked. I misplaced lots of time there with the security automobile as nicely, with the unsafe launch.”
Aussie curse strikes Doohan
Jack Doohan, Alpine crash
Photograph by: James Sutton / Motorsport Photographs
Ask most individuals within the F1 paddock and they’re going to inform you that Jack Doohan was already beneath strain earlier than a wheel had been turned this season.
Having raced for Alpine within the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the finish of 2024, the Australian got here into this yr with hypothesis he was already driving for his seat after Franco Colapinto joined the group as a reserve driver.
Crashing out of his dwelling race on the opening lap will do little to silence these rumours, however the 22-year-old was decided to take positives away from a troublesome weekend.
“On this sport, issues occur in a short time, as we have simply seen, and the subsequent spherical is already virtually upon us,” he mentioned, already turning a watch to the Chinese language Grand Prix subsequent weekend.
“So it was an unlucky method [to go out], however a lesson is discovered. I’ve digested it. There’s lots of positives that we’ve got to remove from this weekend, and for me they outweigh this destructive, and I am wanting ahead to bouncing again for subsequent weekend.
“It appeared I misplaced it on the third to fourth gear upshift. As quickly as I went into fourth, I misplaced the automobile.
“I feel perhaps a mix of the white line, however evidently we had a spike in RPM once I’ve upshifted to fourth so we’re simply double-checking to guarantee that all the pieces’s behaving itself and perhaps a bit of bit much less proper foot, a bit of bit extra left, and it will not occur once more.
“So some issues that I’ll want to know as a result of, for me, that wasn’t out of the traditional, however a continuing studying course of. Sadly, this one has large penalties.
“However I’ve undoubtedly discovered, and I am going to make sure that it would not occur once more.”
Hamilton hugs for Hadjar
Isack Hadjar, RB F1 Crew, Anthony Hamilton
Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
For Isack Hadjar, qualifying eleventh for his debut race would have been seen as a wonderful begin to life at Racing Bulls.
Nonetheless, he didn’t even make the beginning of the race because the tough monitor floor caught him out on the formation lap when a spin ended with the Frenchman breaking his rear wing within the wall.
Visibly upset, the 20-year-old was consoled on his return to the paddock by Anthony Hamilton, father of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
“I’m simply embarrassed and sorry for the group,” Hadjar mentioned, his accident having induced an aborted begin to the 2025 season.
“I overdid it, I simply over-slipped the rears and as soon as I misplaced the automobile, I attempted to put it aside however I used to be only a passenger, it simply snapped so quick and I didn’t anticipate it.
“I am simply mad that these errors can occur. Breaking the automobile so early within the season actually breaks my coronary heart. I am actually sorry for the group. I am lacking out on extra expertise. My first grand prix, lacking out on a moist monitor.”
Requested about Anthony Hamilton’s enter, he added: “It means quite a bit, understanding that he knew the place I used to be, how unhealthy I felt, to go and see me within the worst second ever.
“I feel it is good gesture from him. I actually respect that. [He told me to] simply maintain my head excessive and be happy with myself. I did nicely yesterday. Good stuff.”
Lowly Lawson
Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
Photograph by: James Sutton / Motorsport Photographs
Being throughout the Pink Bull storage from Max Verstappen is a pressured place to be in F1 and Liam Lawson is the newest to attempt to match the flying Dutchman.
Having been most popular over Yuki Tsunoda to be promoted from Racing Bulls for 2025, Lawson is arguably the furthest away from a rookie having already competed in 11 grand prix earlier than this season.
The New Zealander, although, discovered his first weekend within the senior Pink Bull group to be a troublesome one as he began from the pitlane following modifications to his rear wing, having solely certified down in 18th.
It was a calculated threat that didn’t repay as Lawson discovered himself working in the back of the sphere with the Haas duo whereas Verstappen competed on the enterprise finish in opposition to the McLarens.
A poor race was summed up with a late crash into the boundaries because the rain returned.
“We wished to take a threat in order that was a shared gamble collectively, however I used to be simply apologising for placing the automobile on the wall,” Lawson mentioned.
“We have been hoping for a majority-wet race and it principally dried up greater than we thought, and we struggled quite a bit with the fronts within the first stint, simply overheating.”
Requested what positives he would take from the day, Lawson replied: “Not a lot actually, I am simply wanting ahead to going to China and resetting.”
Pictures from Australian GP – Race
On this article
Mark Mann-Bryans
Formulation 1
Liam Lawson
Jack Doohan
Isack Hadjar
Oliver Bearman
Gabriel Bortoleto
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
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