A look at the “second tier” of Formula One teams in the 2025 season: Which test and reserve drivers are under contract with Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari and Co.
What happens when a Formula 1 driver is unable to drive because they are ill or injured? Of course, the teams have made provisions for such an eventuality: each team nominates one or more replacement drivers who could step in if necessary.
Just how quickly such a situation can arise was demonstrated during the 2024 Formula 1 season: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had to have his appendix out shortly before the Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia, so Ferrari put his replacement Oliver Bearman in the car. It was the young Briton’s Formula 1 debut.
There were also several substitute driver assignments in 2023: Aston Martin regular driver Lance Stroll had crashed while cycling and broken his wrists. As a result, he had to take a break from winter testing. Felipe Drugovich took over after joining the team as a substitute a few months earlier.
Later in the season, Daniel Ricciardo injured his hand in a practice crash at Zandvoort and was unable to compete in the Dutch Grand Prix. So AlphaTauri reserve driver Liam Lawson made his Grand Prix debut.
Williams reserve driver Franco Colapinto had a similar experience in 2024: because regular driver Logan Sargeant did not perform as well as they would have liked, Williams terminated his contract prematurely and let Colapinto drive. He impressed from the outset in his first Formula One outings and was soon scoring championship points.
Does every team have a replacement driver?
This means that the line-up in the “second row” is also important for the Formula 1 teams. Because if the worst comes to the worst, a quick and uncomplicated solution is needed. That’s why the racing teams have a replacement driver on site at most Grands Prix or, if not, access to a replacement driver from another team.
Some teams have the luxury of employing several reserve drivers, sometimes with different roles and responsibilities: some drivers never even get behind the wheel of a real race car, others occasionally drive in Friday’s free practice, and still others only virtually in the simulator.
The reserve drivers of the 2025 Formula One season
McLaren
McLaren have not yet named a replacement driver for 2025. Most recently, Mexican Pato O’Ward from the IndyCar series took on this role, alongside test drives and Friday outings for McLaren.
Ferrari
At Ferrari, two former Sauber drivers will share the role of replacement in 2025: for some races, it will be long-time Ferrari squad driver Antonio Giovinazzi. For other Grands Prix, Guanyu Zhou, who was himself still a Formula One regular driver until 2024, would be ready. Ferrari had to replan here after Oliver Bearman, the previous reserve driver, is now a regular driver at Haas.
Red Bull
Two Red Bull reserve drivers from the 2024 season are now regular drivers in Formula 1: Liam Lawson at Red Bull and Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls. Red Bull has not yet presented one or more successors.
Mercedes
After three years as a Sauber regular driver, Valtteri Bottas is returning to Mercedes in 2025, but only as a reserve driver. He replaces Mick Schumacher, who left the team after two years to focus on his career in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Bottas scored ten victories for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 and was runner-up in the championship twice.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin continues to rely on former Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich as a reserve driver. The Brazilian has been part of the team since 2022 and an official third driver since 2023. That same year, he stood in for regular driver Lance Stroll in Formula One winter testing after Stroll was injured.
Former McLaren driver and Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne is another reserve Aston Martin has under contract, also since 2023.
Alpine
Formula 1 team Alpine will have three reserve drivers in the 2025 season. With Paul Aron, Alpine has initially brought in the third-place finisher in the 2024 Formula 2 season. In addition, Toyota driver Ryo Hirakawa is available as a replacement after he recently tested for McLaren and Haas. Former Williams driver Franco Colapinto is now also at Alpine – and is hoping for more than just a replacement driver role.
Haas
US-Haas has always relied on world champion Pietro Fittipaldi in recent years, but has not yet presented any plans for 2025. Fittipaldi already has Formula 1 experience from two races in place of Romain Grosjean in the 2020 season.
Racing Bulls
With Weil Racing-Bulls replacement driver Liam Lawson now a Red Bull regular driver, the team will have to look for a new replacement driver for 2025. So far, no one has been presented for this role.
Williams
Actually, Franco Colapinto seemed to be back in the running for the role of reserve driver at Williams. However, his move to Alpine in the same role prevents that. Williams has not yet announced a successor for Colapinto. The Argentinean had been brought in for 2024 after the departure of Logan Sargeant and had at times done a very good job as Williams’ reserve driver.
Sauber
It is not yet known who Sauber will employ as a replacement in the 2025 season. Recently, several Sauber junior drivers have left the team to pursue their careers elsewhere.
