Mika Hakkinen says one F1 rookie has impressed him even more than Isack Hadjar in 2025

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The 2025 Formula 1 grid has featured the highest number of rookie drivers since 2010, and two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen has given his opinion on which of the youngsters has impressed him the most.

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli is currently the highest-placing rookie in the standings, a position that he is likely to finish the season with due to the superiority of the machinery he is in compared to that of his fellow debutants.

Isack Hadjar joins the Italian driver as the only two current rookies to secure a podium during their maiden campaign in 2025, with the Frenchman’s feat arguably coming off as the more impressive feat due to the calibre of Racing Bulls’ F1 car.

Hadjar has impressed the higher-ups at Red Bull and is in line to partner Max Verstappen at the team next season, but Hakkinen has a different driver in mind when it comes to his verdict on the best rookie of the year.

READ MORE: Sam Bird predicts ‘standout’ F1 rookie to join a ‘big team’ and start fighting for wins by 2027

Mika Hakkinen details why Gabriel Bortoleto has been the most ‘impressive’ rookie during the 2025 F1 season

Despite currently occupying the 18th spot in the drivers’ standings, Gabriel Bortoleto has proved that he belongs in F1 through his ability to record impressive results in comparison to his vastly more experienced Sauber teammate, Nico Hulkenberg.

In an interview with FanCode, via Hindustan Times, Hakkinen pointed towards Bortoleto’s record against the 38-year-old as one of the reasons why he thinks the Brazilian driver has been the best rookie of the year, whilst also highlighting why F1 is so difficult for rookies nowadays.

When asked who has impressed him the most, the Flying Finn replied, “There are many great rookie drivers. First of all, F1 today is a very difficult sport for the young drivers. Why? Because the testing programme is very limited.

“When you don’t have so much testing, it’s difficult to find your limits. When you come to the Grand Prix, that’s where you are finding your limits. And when you’re finding your limits, it means it will include mistakes.

“These mistakes are normally expensive, and make you look bad. It’s quite difficult to say because every car is different. Some cars can be very difficult to handle. Some cars are easier to drive, but they’re a bit slow.

“Gabriel Bortoleto has, in my opinion, done quite impressive work. What he’s doing at the moment, against a very experienced teammate, I feel he’s been able to push the car to the limit without huge mistakes compared to other rookies.”

Bortoleto has also caught the eye of Bernie Ecclestone, who believes the 21-year-old is ‘worth his weight in gold’ at Sauber this season. The Brazilian will receive the support of a works team next season, when the Swiss racing outfit rebrands to Audi and utilises the German constructor’s first F1 power unit.

The F1 Supremo has urged Ferrari to sign Bortoleto as soon as possible, believing that he is the answer to their longest title drought in the iconic team’s illustrious history in the sport.

READ MORE: Bernie Ecclestone made an amazing Gabriel Bortoleto career prediction straight after the Hungarian Grand Prix

Gabriel Bortoleto vs Nico Hulkenberg in the 2025 Sauber teammate battle

Even with Bortoleto holding half as many points as Hulkenberg in the standings, the tallies don’t paint the full picture in the 2025 F1 teammate head-to-head battles between himself and the German veteran in the garage next door.

Whilst the squabble is fairly neck and neck, Bortoleto holds an edge over the 248-entry F1 driver in the race results category, as well as a more sizable gap in the qualifying results.

When adding up both the results of both categories across the Grand Prix and Sprint formats, Hulkenberg holds a two-race result deficit to Bortoleto, as well as a three-race deficiency in the qualifying result category.

When taking these into account, it makes his debut season in the sport all the more impressive. Hulkenberg is also in his maiden season at the Sauber team, but his resume of racing for five teams prior to his switch to the Hinwil-based outfit gives him more experience in adapting to new machinery.