Parc Ferme: Formula 1’s Rookies' half-term report

It’s probably fair to say that this year’s crop of rookies is probably the largest and most talented to arrive on the grid to date, well, nearly all…

So let's scan through our sport's rookies this season and see how they have fared so far...

But before we do, consider this: Few things match the excitement you’ll find at OnlyWin, where Only Win players can explore the best online casino games and claim generous bonus offers.

There’s always one who doesn’t rise to the occasion, and it is usually because the money they bring is inversely proportional to their talent.

The obvious candidate for this accolade is Franco Colapinto. The start of his career at Williams appeared auspicious (especially when compared to Sargeant).

However, the expression “deteriorates with practice” seems to be an appropriate fit for his performance. The reason for this is probably two-fold: Increasing pressure and a decline in confidence.

Talent is constant; the ability to deliver it is the variable. If you feel you’re losing that belief, then you probably are. Unfortunately, this is a common affliction amongst the Formula 1 grid.

Another candidate for a similar malaise is Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. The youngest driver on the grid made an excellent start to the season.

However, there has been a clear decline in the latter part of the first half. His cherub-like looks seem to invoke the “mother” in the Formula 1 fraternity as he enjoys a level of sympathy and “free passes” not afforded to other drivers.

Even the Good Doctor is not immune.

Typically brutal in his assessments of drivers, his summation of Antonelli's struggles nailed it: There was too much hype at the beginning, and whilst very talented, he appears to be struggling with the pressure. Boom!

In Formula 1, race length dictates that it’s not enough to be fast over one lap—ask Lando or Charles!

If you find a satchel in the pit lane with a catapult and a pea shooter inside, go to the Haas garage and return it to Ollie Bearman.

You often get the feeling that this talented young driver’s attention is not always fully focused on the job of being an Formula 1 race driver.

He may have executed the most overtakes of the season to date; however, he probably leads the table in appearances in front of the Stewards.

So often, his qualifying and even race efforts have been undermined through repeated silly schoolboy errors. Is he quick? Yes. Can he race? Totally.

Bearman has kept his teammate, Esteban Ocon, more than honest so far, if he can focus, he might bury him.

The biggest surprise of the season, and one of the most popular, is the performance of Isack Hadjar. To say it didn’t start well is an understatement.

He endured live and personal, the biggest nightmare of any F1 debutant. The tears and the harsh words of the good doctor that followed looked like a death knell for his F1 career. Parc Ferme had watched him race in F2, and lose out to Gabriele Bortoleto in the Championship, concluding he was quick but too emotional to manage pressure situations.

No one likes to be wrong, but to see him rise out of the flames of despair and kick the doors in is immensely gratifying. Turns out that under that soft exterior is a heart of steel and the resilience necessary to rise in F1.

Racing Bulls is the perfect low-pressure place to nurture his talent and Hadjar is bringing home the bacon for the team.

With a following wind, we may even see him take his first F1 podium this year. Let’s hope Red Bull can resist the temptation to promote him to the poisoned chalice role.

Last but not least is Parc Ferme’s rookie of the season to date – Gabriel Bortoleto. Backed from the get-go, as the most promising talent amongst all the noobs, he’s been described as a slow burn (although he outqualified his teammate in his first F1 race).

Out in Q1 only twice this season, and now two appearances in Q3, the young Brazilian’s qualifying performance has been exemplary. Whilst this might not sound impressive, to put it in perspective, he’s outqualified Kimi Antonelli in three of the last four Grands Prix.

Considering Bortoleto is in an acknowledged back marker car and Antonelli in a Mercedes, it speaks volumes. He has also set about improving his race performances, achieving a credible sixth in the Hungarian Grand Prix and scoring points in Austria and Spa.

Anything can happen in F1, and it usually does. With such fine margins in qualifying and racing, the picture may look significantly different in December.

The ability to manage pressure and maintain self-belief will almost certainly be the primary defining factor in our rookies end-of-term report later in the year.