F1 rookies have come up with a slick nickname for Max Verstappen

During the past season, we witnessed an influx of rookies—a rarity in Formula 1.

Max Verstappen quickly became known as one of their staunchest supporters, earning himself the nickname “the father of the rookies.”

Kimi Antonelli, who replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, made a strong statement by securing his first pole position during the Miami Sprint.

He went on to finish on the podium at three different grands prix. Isack Hadjar, set to partner Verstappen in 2026, debuted with Racing Bulls and even clinched a trophy by finishing third at Zandvoort.

Ollie Bearman outperformed teammate Esteban Ocon in his inaugural season with Haas, while Gabriel Bortoleto, racing for Kick Sauber (soon to be Audi), recorded a career-best sixth-place finish in Hungary.

At Alpine, both Jack Doohan and his replacement Franco Colapinto ended their seasons without points. Next season, the grid will feature only one rookie after Arvid Lindblad signed with the Red Bull sister team.

Verstappen offers valuable behind-the-scenes support

The rookies were recently asked by Formula1.com about the support they’ve received over the season.

“My whole family in Brazil—it's amazing,” said Bortoleto. “They haven’t been able to travel much to see me, but every time they did attend a race, it was an unforgettable experience. I also get a lot of backing from other drivers. You often see Fernando [Alonso] out there, and Max is constantly supporting us from behind the scenes. It really means a lot.”

The Father of the Rookies

“Absolutely—he’s been a great source of encouragement. I’d say Max has truly backed every rookie,” Antonelli added.

“They even call him the ‘father of the rookies.’ It’s fantastic. Lewis has shown his support as well, but really, everyone embraced having so many fresh faces on the grid. Each of us received that support in our own way.

For me, having my family with me all season—my dad at every weekend, sometimes with the entire family—was exactly the kind of boost you need when breaking into Formula 1.”

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