Last season was a record-breaking year for F1 when no rookie driver featured on the grid at the start of the season in Bahrain for the first time in the history of the sport. This year, however, that trend has taken a drastic turn as there as six rookies making their full-season debuts.
On the one hand, this is a welcome step forward for F1 as a sport with young, deserving drivers getting their shot to prove their mettle. But on the other side of the coin, eight out of the 10 teams will be facing an unprecedented crisis of a lack of reliable reserve drivers owing to this shift.
With the announcement of Franco Colapinto signing on as a reserve driver for Alpine, only the Enstone-based team and Mercedes have the luxury of boasting a reputable reserve driver pool. The Silver Arrows announced earlier that former Sauber driver, Valtteri Bottas had returned to Brackley as the team’s reserve driver for 2025.
Red Bull and RB
After a disappointing 2024 season — which turned out to be statistically the worst for Sergio Perez with Red Bull as he finished P8 in the drivers’ standings — the #11 driver was shown the exit doors by the Milton Keynes-based team.
This meant a promotion for RB driver, Liam Lawson (who was previously a reserve driver for both Red Bull teams). Lawson’s promotion left a vacancy at RB which was filled by F2 sensation, Isack Hadjar, who himself got the promotion to RB as a full-time driver after being named as their reserve.
Liam Lawson has the fewest F1 starts of any driver promoted from Red Bull’s junior to senior team: pic.twitter.com/blOck4FRVB
— The Race (@wearetherace) December 19, 2024
This means that as things stand, both the Red Bull-backed teams are without a reserve driver on their rolls. For the Faenza outfit, 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad is the only option to draft into the reserve role.
For Red Bull, however, both Daniel Ricciardo and Perez seem to be out of contention as neither driver would be willing to step back into a third driver role with the team. However, the team can look towards Zhou Guanyu — who was let go by Sauber at the end of last season and might consider a reserve role to find a way for his F1 return.
Nevertheless, both teams may have to rely on Lindblad and their other junior drivers as the reserves.
Ferrari and Haas
The Kannapolis-based Haas F1 team shares its reserve drivers with Ferrari owing to their technical partnership with the Scuderia. Before 2025, Oliver Bearman was both the teams’ reserve — having stood in for Carlos Sainz and Kevin Magnussen on multiple occasions in 2024.
But his stellar performances in the handful of cameo appearances last season have seen him being promoted as a full-time driver for Haas. This leaves a vacancy at the respective outfits.
Ollie Bearman is back!
he’ll be driving the Haas in Baku replacing the banned Kevin Magnussen pic.twitter.com/nbQEFQPHiz
— WTF1 (@wtf1official) September 6, 2024
While no driver has been named yet, the duo are only left with the likes of Antonio Giovinazzi, Arthur Leclerc, and Robert Shwartzman. Giovinazzi has raced in F1 before (leaving the sport after the 2021 season) and has no experience driving the current ground-effect cars.
Leclerc, however, was named as Ferrari‘s development driver last year. So, that could be an opportunity for him to also step into the official reserve role for the Scuderia.
On the other hand, Shwartzman may also be a good option, as he has the experience of driving in FP1 sessions and has driven for Ferrari’s HyperCar program in the World Endurance Championship as well. However, his move to IndyCar for 2025 may restrict his availability over most of the F1 season.
Sauber and Aston Martin
After promoting 2024 F2 Champion, Gabriel Bortoleto to their F1 team for 2025, Sauber are left without a reserve driver going into 2025 but more importantly into their works Audi rebrand in 2026.
Last year saw the team’s two reserves, Theo Pourchaire and Zane Maloney leaving to participate in the World Endurance Championship and Formula E respectively. But the Hinwil-based team could be eager to jump on the bandwagon of shared reserves.
They could partner with the likes of Aston Martin who have a solid representative in the form of Felipe Drugovich. Ferrari could also be a candidate for such a tie-up given their current engine deal which will end at the end of 2025.
Williams and McLaren
Both, Williams and the 2024 Constructors’ champions, McLaren find themselves without a reserve. The Woking-based team released Bortoleto last year to give the Brazilian a shot at a full-time seat in the sport with Sauber. Most likely, they will sign IndyCar sensation, Pato O’Ward, or look at Nyck de Vries who finds himself as a free agent.
Williams, on the other hand, let go Franco Colapinto recently as the 21-year-old signed a deal with Alpine which could see him replace Jack Doohan as their full-time driver in 2025. The French team’s upcoming engine partnership with Mercedes could mean they would share the duties of Bottas alongside the Silver Arrows.
In terms of their own talent pool, Williams could look to promote their F2 talent, Luke Browning into a reserve role for 2025 and beyond. Though no announcements have been made as of yet.
