The 2025 F1 season brings a striking age contrast, from teenage rookies to seasoned champions, shaping a unique battle on the grid.
The 2025 Formula 1 season is fast approaching, and one thing is certain: it promises a sharp contrast in the age pyramid.
For the first time in over a decade, two drivers in their forties will line up on the grid for the opening Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton, who turned 40 in January, and Fernando Alonso, who will reach 44 this year, continue to cement their legacy. The last time a pair of forty-somethings shared the track at the start of a season was in 2012, with Michael Schumacher and Pedro de la Rosa.
A Youth Wave Sweeps Through F1
While experience remains well represented, the rest of the grid is undergoing a drastic rejuvenation. The average driver age drops from 29.4 years (Bahrain 2024) to 27.2 this season. A new generation is taking over.
The offseason marked a true turning point. Seasoned drivers like Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, and Daniel Ricciardo have left the paddock, making way for six rookies eager to shake up the established order.
Among them, Andrea Kimi Antonelli joins Mercedes at just 18 years and 203 days old. He will be the youngest F1 debutant since Lance Stroll in 2017.
And he won’t be alone. Oliver Bearman, 19, is also stepping up to the top tier. It’s an unprecedented scenario since 2017, when Max Verstappen and Stroll started the season before turning 20.
The grid will feature a striking 25-year age gap between Antonelli and Alonso, a contrast that perfectly encapsulates the transformation F1 is undergoing.
F1 Driver Age Comparison
| Driver | Age |
|---|---|
| Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 18 years, 203 days |
| Oliver Bearman | 19 years |
| Average Age (2025) | 27.2 years |
| Average Age (2024) | 29.4 years |
| Fernando Alonso | 44 years |
Racing Numbers: A Nod to the Past
Five of the six newcomers have adopted numbers previously used by legendary drivers: Bortoleto has chosen Sebastian Vettel’s iconic 5, Jack Doohan will carry the 7, once synonymous with Kimi Räikkönen, Isack Hadjar has opted for 6, the number Nico Rosberg wore during his 2016 title-winning season, and Liam Lawson retains 30, last seen on Jolyon Palmer’s Renault in 2017. As for Antonelli, he will sport 12, last used by Felipe Nasr in 2016.
But one driver has opted to stand out completely: Oliver Bearman. He becomes the first to select 87, a number seen only once in F1 history, in 1951, on Yves Girard-Cabantous’ car.
F1 Racing Numbers and Legacy
| Driver | Chosen Number | Previously Used By |
|---|---|---|
| Gabriel Bortoleto | 5 | Sebastian Vettel |
| Jack Doohan | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen |
| Isack Hadjar | 6 | Nico Rosberg |
| Liam Lawson | 30 | Jolyon Palmer |
| Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 12 | Felipe Nasr |
| Oliver Bearman | 87 | Yves Girard-Cabantous (1951) |
Stable Teams and Others in Total Overhaul
While eight out of ten teams have reshuffled their line-ups, only two have retained their driver pairings.
McLaren F1 remains unchanged with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, while Aston Martin F1 continues with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the untouchable son of the team owner.
F1 Teams with Unchanged Line-ups
| Team | Drivers | Status |
|---|---|---|
| McLaren F1 | Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri | Unchanged |
| Aston Martin F1 | Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll | Unchanged |
No Finnish or Mexican Drivers
With Sergio Perez’s departure, no Mexican driver will be on the 2025 grid—a first since 2010. As a result, the Mexican Grand Prix will take place without a local representative for the first time since 1992. Similarly, with Valtteri Bottas leaving, there will be no Finnish driver on the grid this season.
On the nationality front, the French contingent grows to three with Isack Hadjar, while the United Kingdom remains well represented with four drivers.
Gabriel Bortoleto, the 2024 F2 champion, will become the first Brazilian to contest a full season since Felipe Massa in 2017. His arrival is a significant moment for a country that has produced legends like Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet.
Even more notably, Bortoleto is the first F2 champion to secure an immediate F1 seat since Mick Schumacher in 2021.
F1 2025 Nationality Representation
| Country | Number of Drivers (2025) | Notable Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 0 | No Mexican driver for the first time since 2010 |
| Finland | 0 | No Finnish driver on the grid |
| France | 3 | Increase to 3 with Isack Hadjar |
| United Kingdom | 4 | Still well represented with 4 drivers |
- Discover More>Haas F1 kicks off the shakedown of its VF-25 at Silverstone
- Follow us on >Facebook and >Twitter for F1 updates
Age – Experience & Youth – F1’s Bold New Era Age – Experience & Youth – F1’s Bold New Era Age – Experience & Youth – F1’s Bold New Era
