NEXT GEN: 20 of the most exciting up-and-coming talents on the road to F1 in 2025

With six rookies making their way on the Formula 1 grid this year, there’s a new wave of talent looking to follow in their footsteps and put themselves on the radar for 2026 seats and beyond.

From karting sensations to single-seater stars, we’re taking a look at 20 of the bright prospects on the road to F1 — ranked in descending order by age – and why you’ll want to keep an eye on them in 2025…

1. Luke Browning

Age: 22

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 2 with Hitech Grand Prix

The most senior Williams junior after Franco Colapinto’s promotion, Luke Browning has a golden opportunity to place himself front and centre as an F1-ready driver in waiting.

Contending for the 2024 Formula 3 title with two Feature Race wins, he at times lacked the clean weekends that he needed to finish higher than third in the Championship. An early call up to Formula 2 for the final three rounds was followed by his first F1 Free Practice session in the FW46 in Abu Dhabi, but Browning will have his sights set on more as he’ll continue racing in F2 with Hitech.

READ MORE: Williams sign Oliver Turvey from McLaren in test and development role

2. Abbi Pulling

Age: 21

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: GB3 Championship with Rodin Motorsport

Last year was a breakthrough season for Abbi Pulling as she showed she had all the qualities of a Champion. A return to F1 ACADEMY saw her dominate the timing screens, collecting nine wins, 10 pole positions and never finishing off the podium to seal the title by 121 points.

The only Alpine junior to score a title in 2024, Pulling also made history as the first female winner in British F4 and topped Formula E’s first Women’s Test with Nissan. Crucially for the Briton, the F1 ACADEMY title provided her a fully-funded seat in the GB3 Championship with Rodin. Only time will tell how she’ll manage the step up in machinery, but it’s a challenge Pulling will take in her stride.

READ MORE: Hitech Grand Prix to join F1 ACADEMY in 2025 as grid expands to 18 cars

3. Doriane Pin

Age: 21

Nationality: French

2025 Plans: F1 ACADEMY & Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with PREMA Racing

Known for her sportscar prowess, Doriane Pin made a strong first impression in F1 ACADEMY, winning from pole at the Jeddah season opener. Although she shone on several occasions, the Mercedes driver couldn’t quite keep up with Pulling at her peak.

Undoubtedly rapid, Pin is one of the favourites for the title and there’s no reason to think she can’t go one better than the Vice Champion honours a second time around. Also continuing her dual campaign in FRECA for another year, the Iron Dame will need a marked improvement from her best finish of 13th.

READ MORE: Doriane Pin to continue with Mercedes for 2025 F1 ACADEMY campaign

4. Paul Aron

Age: 20

Nationality: Estonian

2025 Plans: Reserve Driver for Alpine F1 Team

An overlooked prospect in 2024, Paul Aron quickly became one of the standouts of a top-rate Formula 2 campaign. Scoring at least one podium in each of the first seven rounds, the Estonian led the Championship at the halfway mark. However, the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time in crucial moments left him with an outside chance of the title in Abu Dhabi.

Although on merit, he should have been more in the mix, a record of one win, four poles and eight podiums were enough to catch Alpine’s attention. Brought on board as their Reserve Driver, he got his first chance behind the wheel of an F1 car at the post-season Young Driver test, but where he sits in the French outfit’s long-term plans remains to be seen after Colapinto’s switch.

READ MORE: F2 racer Aron joins Alpine as 2025 F1 reserve driver

5. Leonardo Fornaroli

Age: 20

Nationality: Italian

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 2 with Invicta Racing

Although Leonardo Fornaroli might not like being the first driver to be crowned Champion without a victory, his F3 campaign showed a winning combination — consistency, maturity and decisiveness when it counts, as seen with his final corner overtake in Monza to take the title on the last lap.

Now teaming up with reigning Drivers’ and Teams’ Champions Invicta Racing, he has a chance to repeat former team mate Gabriel Bortoleto’s path by claiming back-to-back F3 and F2 titles and prove his outright pace with a few victories along the way.

READ MORE: ‘I can't believe I'm going to lose this title’ – F3 champion Fornaroli on his spectacular final-lap showdown and F2 promotion

6. Christian Mansell

Age: 19

Nationality: Australian

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 2 with Rodin Motorsport

Showcasing flashes of talent, Christian Mansell initially struggled to find a consistent rhythm across his second F3 campaign. Hauling himself into the title fight late on following podiums in Monaco, the Australian’s peaks and troughs in results held him back from finishing higher than fifth.

However, he seemed to find his feet quicker in F2, competing in the last six races with Trident and scoring points on his debut weekend in Baku. An educational experience, it should stand him in good stead for his full-time campaign with Rodin.

IN NUMBERS: How Kick Sauber signing Bortoleto’s F2 and F3 career compares to Leclerc, Russell and Piastri

7. Gabriele Mini

Age: 19

Nationality: Italian

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 2 with PREMA Racing

He came close, but the 2024 F3 title ultimately wasn’t to be for Gabriele Mini. A second consecutive Monaco Feature Race win was the jewel in his season, whilst a post-race disqualification from the final race in Monza exacerbated the gap between the Alpine junior and Fornaroli to 23 points.

A successful F2 debut in Baku, subbing in for Oliver Bearman, yielded a podium and he’ll be continuing with a PREMA team looking to rediscover their form after dropping to fifth in the Teams’ Championship — their lowest result since 2019.

BEYOND THE GRID: F2 and F3 CEO Bruno Michel on steering young drivers to F1 and why Hamilton and Leclerc stood out

8. Rafaela Ferreira

Age: 19

Nationality: Brazilian

2025 Plans: F1 ACADEMY with Campos Racing

The first woman to score a podium in Brazilian F4 in 2023, last year saw Rafaela Ferreira add three wins to her record on her way to finish fourth. Although the trio of wins came from reverse grid races, the 19-year-old achieved points in every race.

Driving for Racing Bulls in F1 ACADEMY, it might take time for her to adapt to the new venues, racing outside of South America for the first time. Ferreira is one of six rookies already announced for the 2025 season, and arguably one of its most exciting prospects.

READ MORE: RB name Brazilian Rafaela Ferreira as 2025 F1 ACADEMY driver

9. Rafael Camara

Age: 19

Nationality: Brazilian

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 3 with Trident

Of the three FRECA Champions that graduated to F3 the following year, none have finished higher than fourth — something the 2024 Champion will want to rectify. Enjoying a lightning start to the year, Rafael Camara seized four wins in the opening seven races and only missed out on points twice in a 20-race campaign.

Unstoppable last season, he’ll face off once more against several of his FRECA title rivals in F3. Partnering up with Trident, who have won the last two Drivers’ titles, the Ferrari junior is tipped to be a leading protagonist once again.

READ MORE: Formula 3 confirm the 10 teams selected for 2025-2027 seasons

10. Callum Voisin

Age: 18

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 3 with Rodin Motorsport

Expectations were mixed for the 2023 GB3 Champion’s graduation to F3, with Callum Voisin joining Rodin Motorsport, who had only scored two points the previous year.

Yet a warm welcome home in Silverstone began to transform his year. Gambling on slicks in the wet-dry Feature Race, Voisin went from eighth in the lead, to 21st after a shower and eventually took the chequered flag in first, dropping to third post-penalty. Transforming Rodin into race winners, a surprise pole in Spa helped him to deliver the team’s first win in F3, but can he help them build on that momentum with the arrival of the new car?

READ MORE: Formula 3 reveal 2025 car

11. Deagen Fairclough

Age: 18

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: GB3 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix

Trading the sim rig for a real-life steering wheel, Deagen Fairclough went from winning the 2022 ROKiT Racing Star eSports competition to being the class of the field in British F4 last year.

Ending his debut season in third, the potential was there for 2024, and it wasn’t long before he demonstrated it. Breaking new records, the Briton’s 14 wins and eight further podiums have become the new benchmark and he’ll be expecting performances like that to continues as he moves up to GB3.

12. James Wharton

Age: 18

Nationality: Australian

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 3 with ART Grand Prix

Dropped from the Ferrari junior roster for the 2024 season, James Wharton was out for vengeance this year. A chopping start to his FRECA campaign eventually gave way to regular podium finishes, taking three wins and a further four third-place finishes in the final seven races.

It was too little too late to wrestle the title away from Camara, but his late-season resurgence elevated him into second ahead of Tuukka Taponen, both of whom he’ll go up against in F3.

13. Alisha Palmowski

Age: 18

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: F1 ACADEMY with Campos Racing

Picked up by Red Bull Racing for the F1 ACADEMY season, you can certainly see why she caught their attention. A successful second season in Ginetta Juniors in 2023 brought home 10 podiums, before she climbed into single-seaters for the 2024 GB4 season.

First impressions don’t come much better than Palmowski’s as she won on debut at Oulton Park. An exceptional rookie season saw her take the Vice Champion honours with three wins and 11 total podiums, the most in the field. Additionally, she stepped into the Wild Card spot for the penultimate F1 ACADEMY round in Qatar and finished fifth against a more experienced field.

READ MORE: Red Bull Racing sign Alisha Palmowski for 2025 F1 ACADEMY season

14. Tuukka Taponen

Age: 18

Nationality: Finnish

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 3 with ART Grand Prix

Another star of FRECA’s class of 2024, Tuukka Taponen set himself a high bar with four wins in the first 10 races. Unfortunately, it wasn’t one the flying Finn could sustain as a mix of bad luck and errors made for a more miserable end with five retirements in the last nine races.

Demoted to third in the Championship, the Ferrari junior has a chance to redeem himself as he shifts up a gear to F3 and will want to make that dip off in form a thing of the past.

15. Ugo Ugochukwu

Age: 17

Nationality: American

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 3 with PREMA Racing

Despite the McLaren junior’s 2024 not panning out exactly as he would have wanted, Ugo Ugochukwu can still draw some positives. A tough time in FRECA saw him fail to score in half of the races, with two podiums — one of which being his maiden win — being his high points.

That was until the Macau Grand Prix. Snatching pole for the Qualifying Race, Ugochukwu won his place on pole for the main race and seemed right at home. Overcoming multiple Safety Cars, he kept his head to win the prestigious race and give himself a boost of confidence for his step up to F3 with PREMA.

16. Louis Sharp

Age: 17

Nationality: New Zealander

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 3 with Rodin Motorsport

He’s seen compatriot Liam Lawson make his way on to the F1 grid, but could Louis Sharp be the next Kiwi sensation to do so? The buzz is certainly building around the 17-year-old after he took the GB3 title in convincing fashion, straight off the back of his 2023 British F4 success.

Starting as he meant to go on with his maiden pole and win, Sharp soon set the tone with five poles, five wins and more laps led than any of his rivals. He didn’t quite maximise his potential during the European leg, but a late run of form with three wins in the final six races was enough to get the job done in the final race.

17. Arvid Lindblad

Age: 17

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: FIA Formula 2 with Campos Racing

Earmarked by Helmut Marko for his pure speed, Arvid Lindblad’s debut F3 campaign was history in the making. Becoming the Championship’s youngest winner with victory on debut in the Bahrain Sprint, he then did the double in Silverstone — the first driver to take both race victories in an FIA F3 weekend — and matched the record for the most wins in a season on four.

At one point sitting second in the Championship, his campaign fizzled out with three non-scoring weekends. An ideal candidate for Red Bull and Racing Bulls to slip into FP1 appearances, if a door opens to F1, he’ll be knocking to get it. Yet the question remains whether he can go the distance and string together a fierce run of form across a 28-race season in F2?

18. Freddie Slater

Age: 16

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with PREMA Racing

What a remarkable year it’s been for Britain’s Freddie Slater. The karting star turned 2023 Ginetta Junior Champion had a jam-packed agenda last season but never seemed to rest. His trophy cabinet rapidly filled up with the F4 UAE trophy over winter break before a second-place finish in Euro 4 and a monumental run in Italian F4.

Breaking Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s record for the most wins in a season with 15 alongside 11 pole positions, he achieved the title with the largest points margin in the series’ history, finishing an astounding 143 points clear of runner-up Jack Beaton.

Currently sitting second in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, nobody will be underestimating him in FRECA this year.

19. Luna Fluxa Cross

Age: 14

Nationality: Spanish

2025 Plans: TBC

The first female winner of an FIA international Championship since Susanna ‘Susy’ Raganelli won the World Karting Championship in 1966, Luna Fluxa Cross was the standout karter in the Champions of the Future Academy Program.

Scoring points on all but one occasion, the Mercedes prodigy took 50% of the Final wins to claim the OK-N Senior title commandingly by 125 points. The Spaniard also competed in the FIA Karting World and European Championships, locations she’ll likely stick with for another year.

20. Kenzo Craigie

Age: 14

Nationality: British

2025 Plans: TBC

A karting sensation, who’s already been picked up by Mercedes, Kenzo Craigie continues to rack up titles. Emerging victorious after a tense final corner battle, the 14-year-old won the OK-Junior class of the FIA Karting World Championship and added on the IAME Warrior Final in the X30 Junior class for good measure.

Honourable Mentions

Last year’s French F4 Champion Taiko Kato will be looking to secure more silverware in 2025, as the Honda-backed Japanese racer steps up to the FRECA, whilst 16-year-old Mattia Colnaghi’s plans are not confirmed yet after sealing the 2024 Spanish F4 title in his rookie season.

Rally star Lia Block is hungry to return to winning ways, with the Williams driver scoring two personal best P4 finishes in F1 ACADEMY. Ella Lloyd will also be worth a watch in the all-female series, showing promise on her Wild Card debut in Singapore, with the McLaren-backed driver combining her rookie season with a return to British F4.

Ethan-Jeff Hall graduates to British F4 off the back of a trophy-filled 2024 in which he was crowned the CIK-FIA OK World Karting Champion and Ginetta Junior Champion alongside being a finalist in the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy World Scouting Camp. Lastly, McLaren junior Dries Van Langendonck topped the FIA International Karting ranking following his FIA Karting European Championship success in the OKJ class.

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