![]() ![]() P2 at his very first Grand Prix almost four seconds ahead of World Champion team-mate Jenson Button… F1 debuts don’t get much better. ![]() The German would become Force India’s reserve driver, before an impressive 2012 season in a full-time drive with Aston Martin’s predecessor secured his F1 future. Partnering 11-time GP winner Rubens Barrichello for 2010, Hulkenberg failed to put the Brazilian under enough pressure and finished 15th in the Drivers’ standings with 22 points – less than half his team-mate’s total.ĭespite flashes of potential, Williams decided to replace Hulkenberg with GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado for 2011. The rookie held on for eighth in Sao Paulo, a highlight alongside P6 at Hungary and seventh at Monza. Instead, he was left without a seat only months later. Pole position at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, more than a second clear of Sebastian Vettel, could have been Nico Hulkenberg’s launchpad to F1 stardom. Switching to Force India for 2017, Ocon was solid during his first full season putting Sergio Perez under pressure and proving himself as a consistent points scorer. Ocon didn’t perform any miracles but 12th and 13th at the season’s final two rounds hinted at his potential. The Frenchman replaced Rio Haryanto with nine races remaining for the struggling Manor team, adapting quickly to beat team-mate Pascal Wehrlein at four of the final five races. 15th: Esteban OconĪfter winning the GP3 title in 2015 and joining Mercedes’ driver academy, Esteban Ocon was suddenly thrust onto the grid mid-way through 2016. Alfa will need to see a lot more from Zhou in 2023 if he is to survive in F1. Zhou’s six points were dwarfed by team-mate Valtteri Bottas’ 49-point haul and he was beaten 14-8 in qualifying. He flew under the radar for most of 2022, with a horrific crash at Silverstone likely to be fans’ defining memory from the 23-year-old’s rookie year. ![]() Racing for Alfa Romeo, Zhou scored a point on his debut but only finished in the top 10 twice more. The 2022 season’s one and only rookie, Zhou Guanyu became the first Chinese driver to race a Grand Prix last year. However, a career-best P4 at the Abu Dhabi GP, passing Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas on the final lap, was the perfect way to finish. The red-hot pressure of F1 and the 20-year-old’s much-publicised struggles to adapt to his new life in Milton Keynes (and English cuisine) contributed to a spate of mistakes through mid-season. Two world-beating drives bookended Yuki Tsunoda’s first season in Formula 1, but it was a season undermined by on-track errors and off-track discomfort, to a degree where he admitted himself he was surprised to have been kept on the grid for a second season.ĭriving for AlphaTauri and partnering Pierre Gasly for 2021, Tsunoda qualified 13th at the season-opening Bahrain GP before charging through the field for ninth, topped off by an expert move past Lance Stroll on the final lap. Which current driver had the best first season? Here is the ’s ranking of our 2023 challengers’ rookie campaigns… While some were shot straight into the fight for Grand Prix victories, others were kicked aside and had to find routes back into F1. Perhaps Sargeant and Co will look to their new rivals’ own rookie campaigns for inspiration. Should a member of the rookie trio sink, more hungry drivers are queuing up for their Formula 1 chance and would gladly take their spot. The United States’ new hope Logan Sargeant joins Williams, Nyck De Vries finally gets his shot at AlphaTauri and McLaren offer Oscar Piastri his hotly-anticipated F1 shot.Ī second season is earned, not gifted. The 2023 season will present just that proposition for three fresh faces. The realisation of childhood fantasies and a dive-bomb into motorsport’s deep end, a rookie season can make or break a graduate to Formula 1. ![]()
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