P1 with Matt and Tommy - Which new drivers will join the F1 grid in 2025?

Episode Date: March 15, 2024

Ahead of what could be the silliest silly season ever, plenty of new drivers have their eyes on an F1 seat for 2025. But who’s actually going to make it? We rate the likely candidates! Tickets for our live shows in April have almost sold out - get yours right here! If you like what you heard in that teaser clip, you can sign up to our Patreon here! You'll get access to exclusive episodes you won't hear anywhere else, every P1 episode ad-free, full driver interview videos, early access to tickets and more!Follow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

everybody and welcome back to the P1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. Yep, it's time to talk about how much the grid is going to change with new talent for next year. And judging by what Tommy was saying, before we started recording, this could be very, very sad indeed. But let's not bite the bullet here. Maybe I've been cooking with my grades. I hope we get changes. Of course, a lot has changed with Hamilton moving and we're sort of waiting for that first, well, second piece of the puzzle to move because Hamilton going to Ferrari, of course, leaves the Mercedes seat open and as a few people have mentioned, until that seat is filled, I don't think anyone's going to commit to what they're doing and then everything will fall into place. So hopefully that will also mean new talent because... And not just shuffling.

Yeah, we need new talent in Formula One. I think the last race showed that because it made it exciting. Tom Bellingham, 35 years old, making the grid for 20... I would be 26, wouldn't you? 36, sorry, not 26. Yeah, I would. You look 20. No, you do even look 26.

You look 16. Anyway, before we dive into this, we need to share a five-star review, which you haven't done for a while. If you want yours to be read out next time we do this, then please leave us a five-star review. star review. Let's know why you love this podcast. It helps us out massively. This one is from Diamant 580 in France. I love listening to Matt and Tommy. They always make my day. It really feels like you're with some friends talking about the amazing sport that is Formula One. I always listen

to this podcast when I'm feeling anxious and it's really helpful. Helps me relax and think about something else. Keep up the good weight guys. Love you. P.S. It's good to see that I'm not alone in my Ferrari pain. Faza Ferrari in brackets. Thank you so much, Diamond. Appreciate that. And yes, You are not alone. There are many suffering Ferrari fans out there, but one day it will change 2025 when Adrian Newey signs on the dotted line. Anyway, that's not what we're talking about today. We're talking about drivers and new talent.

How we're going to grade this is essentially out of 10, how likely we think each driver that we've selected in this list will get chosen to drive in 2025. 10 being it's set in stone, zero being no hope in hell. So let's begin with Olly Berman, the man of the moment, the current Ferrari and Hasse Reserve, we of course know from his debut out in Saudi Arabia, where he had an amazing race finishing P7 for Ferrari, and also was P6 in his debut Formula 2 year, last year with four wins.

How likely will he join the grid? I am going to go for an 8 out of 10. I think Olly Behrman has shown some very, very big potential that he could be on the grid and is ready to be on the grid for 2025. I think it depends a little bit on whether KMAG manages to do 22 more trains and actually wins Holkenberg the championship through that or if he isn't particularly good and has decided to go in a different direction. I think it is pretty, I don't want to say any higher than eight just purely because

You never know in Formula One, but I do think that Ollie has shown, not just with that, but also with his Hass practice sessions that he's done, and he's got more practice sessions this year. I think he'll continue to impress and be on the radar of some team, and Hass makes the perfect sense, I think, to go in 2025. Yeah, I've gone for a 7 out of 10 for Ollie Bearman.

I think it will, of course, be Hass if it does happen. it just depends like you mentioned on KMAG and whether his performances pick up of course he had a subjectively good race in Saudi Arabia however where you want to look at it and if he continues doing a good job and not being way off Holkenberg and delivers good performances then Haas maybe think oh well we'll stick with the experience because we're going to be getting point. points. But I think bearman has shown that everything was thrown at him in Saudi and he still delivered. So I don't think he'd be a kind of rookie. Maybe they're scarred by the Schumacher and Mazurpin season where they caused millions of pounds worth of damage and they thought, let's never put a rookie in again. But I don't think that's fair for it to basically stop new talent coming in. So yeah, got. 14thor 7.

Zane Maloney is up next, the current Salbert Reserve, or whoever want to call him, who has had an amazing start to the year in Formula 2, leading the title. He won the first two races in Bahrain, and he was also the runner-up in Formula 3 in 2022. How likely do I think this is going to happen? Two out of ten. I think unless Zane Maloney ends up winning every single race from here on into the end of Formula 2 season and does one of the most dominant displays ever, I just can't see it happening at least for 2025. If he wins the Formula 2 championship, you can bet your bottom dollar.

He will be sat on that pit wall as Formula 2 champion, not being able to race in Formula 2 anymore, but not having a seat in Formula 1. Not, no, any disrespect to him, but there are other drivers waiting in the wings that I think will be chosen before him if there is that selection open but yeah i don't think zane will be on the grid in 2025 i've also gone for a two out of ten for zane maloney it's giving driver ratings vibes it's getting like a zane's just done a formula one race anyway sorry he certainly wouldn't have got a two out of ten for his performance so far enough too he's been very good indeed um but i think the biggest problem here for him is a certain Teopo Cher, who is also waiting in the wings at Salba.

Spoiler alert for the next driver. Yeah, the next driver. But of course, if he has a great year, even if he has a great year and Joe Guan News' performance drops off or Bottas decides that, you know what, I do just want to make calendars or whatever. which was great by the way it was a charity and it was fantastic cause yeah many bantering but if that does happen

and there is a seat free at Kixalba we will I think Teopor chair would be like hello I've been sat on the pit wall why have you given it to Zane Maloney

and of course he's got the the credit in the bank of Also, like say if Zane Maloney does win the F2 championship, he'll be like, well, I won it first. Come on, guys. I think, yeah, I think that that's going to hinder his chances. But an exciting young driver, nevertheless, and one that will definitely be on people's radars,

particularly if he keeps doing what he's doing in F2. Next up is Teo Porcier, who is the current Salba Reserve Driver as well, at 2020 Formula 3 runner-up, 22 Formula 2 runner-up and Formula 2 champion last year. He's now racing in Super Formula. Tommy, hit us with your grade.

I've gone for a 6 out of 10 for Teoporchette. And this is mainly just because I feel like Salber won't change their lineup potentially and might stick with it now. Because, and you've also. There's also that talk of obviously Audi coming in. And if a car loss science did go there, that already takes up one of those seats if someone drops out. So it's going to be difficult for a young driver to do that.

I think with young drivers, if we ignore the Oscar Piastri situation, was a very unique situation a lot of the time. It is a case of young drivers join an academy and then hope that they peak at the right time when a seat is available. That is just how the system works. And I worry for Teopo Chair that the satriality of winning F2 means you have to set on the sidelines. He's doing Super Formula, of course, and it's a great series. And can prepare for Formula One.

We've seen that with Gassley before and other drivers. But I just worry that with the shaker. that someone might want to go to Audi before they change and who's going to vacate the two seats that they've got currently. So for me, I have also gone for a six out of ten for Teo Porcere. It does just feel like, you know how you've got the meme of the swimming and the kid being held up and then someone underwater.

I just, I don't know. I feel like if the opportunity arises just like you, Tommy, Porchay will probably get the call up for Salba. But there's also part of me that I just feel like he might not get the call up, just purely because of how Formula One is working at the moment. Bottas, I still think Bottas has got a few more years left if they continue with him. And look, he's a race winner. I know he's nothing special these days and is just bantering around most of the time and just having a great time.

Would they shake that up? I'm not sure. Obviously, it depends on where Carlos Sines goes. Is Sines really going to go to this team in 25? All these things, these moving parts, mean that. I can't give any higher than a six out of ten for Portchair. If anything, I feel like that maybe is even a little bit high, come to think of it. But I've locked in a six now, so I have to explain why.

So yeah, it does feel like maybe, just maybe it will be a sad story for Teo Porccia, but look, we'll have to wait and see. It's, yeah, it must be quite hard for him to, you know, you win Formula 2. You're like, right, now's my time. It's also insane that they can be like 20 years old and you're like, But it is true. They're 20 years old and you're kind of like, oh, you've missed the boat a bit there.

Like, how is that a thing? Whilst Fernando Alonso, 43-year-old Jan. Yeah. Yeah, chilling. All 42. But anyway, we now move to Felipe Drogovich, 2020, Formula 2 champion, Aston Reserve Driver since 2022,

and also did 2023 pre-season testing with Aston after the Lance Stroll injury. Hit us with your grade as well, Tommy. I have gone for a one out of ten. And that's not because I think Felipe Drogovich isn't deserving. It's because a certain somewhat, it's the program that he's in is Aston Martin. And there's a 42-year-old Fernando Alonzo driving incredibly well

and has finally got a good car underneath him. And Lance Stroll, who will never leave that seat. So that's the difficulty for Drogovic. is that he and even more than poor chair it's two two years ago that by the end of the season you know it'd be two years since he won the formula two championship and he won it in spectacular fashion he dominated it he was sensational and i think he did deserve a chance but sadly he's in the wrong academy and he's in the wrong academy at the wrong time and i don't think he's any less talented than a lot of these drivers and i'd love to see him get a shot. I'd have loved to have seen it, like no ill will on stroll, but I'd love to have seen just out of curiosity how we'd have done in that first race in Bahrain. But stroll came back, did a great job to be fair. So yeah, I've gone for a one out of ten. I just can't see it happening for him. I've gone for a two out of ten for Filippe O'Drugovich because my mind is

racing right now. Fernando Alonzo is obviously going to Mercedes in 2025. So it's going to D'Inquish that seat. Open it up. But would Aston Martin then sign Drogovich? And then you have Drogovic and Stroll, a rookie and then Stroll. Yeah. You know what I mean? I know that obviously the Feral is not set on.

Stroll is an experienced driver, but he doesn't feel like it. Exactly. But wasn't, I feel like Flavio Riatoria and Toto Wolf having a coffee the other day as well that was pictured and has been circulating around. So that seat might be opening up. I tell you that. Honestly, I might have absolutely chefed it up right now if Alonzo does. go to Mercedes in 25.

But then what does then ask them do? Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, would they sign like Carlos Sines or something? Yeah, I think they would. They've shown that Stroll,

I think, I think Lawrence has shown that he wants to put very competitive drivers against Lance. Yeah. So, look, I think Felipe Drogovic,

as just with, just like you, Tommy, is an incredibly talented driver, but he's with the wrong team because there's only one movable seat unless Stroll decides, that's it. I'm done, I can't be bothered anymore.

There is one seat and you're waiting for Fernando Alonzo, who looks like he's going to go till he's 50, to move to a different team, which he does love doing. He's been to many different teams in his career. But yeah, and then it's, it is a bad thing that Stroll is there because that limits your options more,

because is Lance Stroll really a team leader? Is he someone that could win a championship, Vastomart, and give him the car? I don't think so. So, yes, it's a very difficult situation for Drogovich to be in. Jack Dewan is next. Current Alpine Reserve driver, runner-up in Formula 3 Championship in 2021,

and third in Formula 2 in 2023. How likely will he be on the grid? I am going to go for a 0 out of 10 for Jack Dewan. No disrespect to him. But I think there are better drivers waiting in the wings at other teams that could potentially go, nope, I'm done with this driver academy. I'm going to go to another team that's got a seat available.

Jack doesn't have, when you look at the other drivers, the best CV going either. He's obviously got a little bit of experience and he's an Alpine reserve driver, but you've got Ocon and Gassley who might both just rip up their contracts at the end of the year because they're driving a dustbin,

but if they don't, I don't think they're going to go anywhere. So where does Jack do and go? I don't see it personally. So sorry, Jack. Me neither. I've gone for a zero out of ten as well. He's had a good,

time in singles, see as if not unbelievable. So if I keep saying that, you say, you take it the wrong way. You know, I know, because that's what you say. He's had a good time. He's had a good time. It's not been unbelievable. But it's not been unbelievable.

I need to stop saying that. But, look, he's finished third in Formula 2, 2023, like you say. And he's not in Formula 2. to at the moment that's going to struggle because at least the drivers that aren't in Formula 2 have won it. So they've got credit in the bank like we say. And he's also got a big problem that he is an Alpine reserve driver.

And we know for whatever reason they don't like to put their junior academy in the car. We've kind of roasted them in the past for being this team that aren't willing to take a punt on a young driver to the point where it took a long. to shun them for them to be like, oh, go on Piastri. Yeah, you have got the seat without even telling him because he'd already signed a contract to McLaren. And no offence to Jack Dewan, but he's not been on Piastri's level. So, and even then they reluctantly took Piastri, tried to take Piastri. So I just really don't see it happening for him, sadly. Let's move to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is a Mercedes Junior,

Italian Formula 4 champion, ADAC Formula 4 champion, Formula Regional Middle East champion, Formula Regional European champion, rookie in Formula 2 this year and massively hyped up by Toto Wolf, just 17 years of age. And my grade 4, Kimmy Antonelli, is 10 out of 10. Sign sealed, delivered, goodbye, Logan Sargent, Hello, Andrea Kimi Antonelli. I don't see him going to the Mercedes seat straight away.

Pramer have had a difficult start to the Formula 2 season, which has been difficult to kind of weigh him up, although, to be fair, in comparison to Olly Behrman, he's been very good. I don't see him being in a Mercedes seat, though. I feel like that's far too early of a jump. I think it would be silly for Toto Wolf to sign him. I know they're trying to make a big noise now that Hamilton's left,

but that's not the noise I think you want to make personally. give him a year in Williams and then promote him in 26, in my opinion. But I do think he's going to Williams. There's been too much hype unless Antonelli bins in every single race from here on in. He's on the grid next year. Yeah, I've gone for an eight out of ten. He, there's, there's hype around him. I know a lot of people are jumping on it saying he's too overhyped.

And I do think there is a lot of pressure on him. but people in the sport know when they see a star. It happened with Max Verstappen. It happened with Lewis Hamilton. And sometimes they get it wrong, but more often than not, there's been no one, I don't think, since Verstappen, that's had a buzz around him quite like Kimmy Antonelli. And of course, people will take the fact that he's not lapped the entire field

in his first F2 race because, there were reports of things like oh they did a wet test in blah blah blah and he was 40 seconds clear and all this kind of ridiculous story that wasn't even true and it just builds this hype up too much that's F on Twitter for you isn't it?

Exactly. If someone puts something in quotation marks oh that's believable, that's it. Exactly. Yeah, you just have paddock in your name and it's fine. But he has done a good job so far but he's new to these type of cars.

Even the first race, when Pramer were absolutely awful, he did a better job than Olly Behrman and look what Olly Behrman's done in Formula One. It sounds insane to say because maybe people that don't understand Formula 2 as much won't understand, but I know it's a spec series,

but the car also does matter and teams can be better than the other. And Pramer weren't there in the first race, but I think he will deliver, and I can see, like you said, like Williams would be a great, great chance for him. Yeah. I just, I'm just so certain. I think that Logan Sargent is gone at the end of the year, especially now that we've looked at his first few races this year when, you know, he's been sort of cotton-walled and

wrapped in it by Daddy Vals, James Vals, that is, obviously. I don't know why I just use his Twitch name, which I usually use. A lot of people are probably like, what the hell have you just said? But now, come on, James Vowls, we could leave me off a cliff with his voice. but yeah I think that yeah I think it's set on I think Logan loses a seat who else would go to Williams if Logan loses a seat

if you think exactly it would be it would be someone at the the topper teams that is sort of willing to essentially take a downgrade at Williams and just sort of stay in Formula 1

because they don't want to leave like like a Kimmy Reichen and did at Salbo for example so Maybe. Okay. Final driver Liam Lawson, the current Red Bull and RB Reserve replaced Ricardo and Zanvort and hugely impressed in his short Formula One spell whilst Danny Rick was getting better. Tommy, what is your grade? It's a 10 out of 10. I am convinced that Liam Lawson has something in his contract that says that he has to be in Formula One next year or if one of the Red Bull drivers goes because of how well he did when he stepped up. So I really can't see how he doesn't get a chance, whether that's with R.B. or even Red Bull. I don't think Red Bull is going to happen because Perez is doing a great job. But I think I do legitimately think that it was in his contract that he must get a seat there. Because contracts are worth their wits in paper. I know, but they can't afford to lose him to another thing. And I think he would have got snapped up by someone else if that was the case based on how he did. So I can see Lawson definitely getting a drive next year.

Because, you know, Daniel Ricardo doesn't perform well that he's got one there. Yuki Sanoda maybe hasn't, he's done very well, of course, and I think he's maybe delivering well, but the Honda partnership's ending at Red Bull and he might maybe make a move to be an Aston Martin and reserve or something. I think Liam Lawson is surely like a shoe in there. Okay. I've gone for a nine out of ten for Liam Lawson. I am not fully absolutely 100% categorically convinced that there are no

possibilities that he will not, that there will be something that goes wrong for Liam Lawson, especially when it is Red Bull and whatnot. And you know, you look at the drivers. I don't think he goes to Red Bull, no chance. But, you know, you look at R.B and you go, all right, with Snow is doing really well. and Daniel Ricardo is very much the favourite child of Red Bull.

So does he manage to convince for one more season? If he does have a bad season, I don't know. But that's the only thing for me is that they'll go, oh, no, Liam, no, no, it's fine. You're young. We'll get you in 26. New regulations. You know, come in then sort of thing.

I just feel like there is that tiny slither that that might happen. I hope not for his sake because he was really, really good. and he's, like we've been saying earlier, peaked at the right time. He is in the right academy to have an opportunity and also did a great job when he was called up at last minute. So definitely deserving of being on the grid and I hope it does work out for him. And that is that, Tommy.

We have graded all of the young drivers that have the best opportunity or the worst opportunity for some of them, waiting in the wings. What are your final thoughts? my final thoughts are please formula one teams give these new drivers a chance because I think it's

yeah absolutely no but I think the last race showed that we need new talent in Formula One it makes it exciting I don't think the the fact that the grid is exactly the same as helped our sort of maybe helped an underwhelming

start to the year because there's no storyline of like, oh, how's this driver doing? How's he going to get on against his teammates? All the same. So I really hope that, of course, in 2025, we've seen the shuffling of drivers around and because of Hamilton and it's all going to kick off. I just hope that it's not just shuffling the pack. We also get new talent as well. I agree. And if it is the shuffling of the pack, then Formula One, listen up. It's time to introduce more teams. Okay? Just bring them in. Stop being. silly right now. Okay, that's it. That's my final thought. Take care. Adios. I love. See you soon. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Make sure you follow us on all of our socials. We're Matt P1-Tommi on Twitter,

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