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Ollie Bearman's starring cameos for Ferrari and Haas were proof of how valuable a good reserve driver can be to a Formula 1 team.
So which drivers are ready and waiting on the sidelines for each F1 team in 2025?
Here's the full list of the reserve drivers we know so far for each team in 2024 championship order.
McLaren - Pato O'Ward
McLaren's IndyCar star Pato O'Ward will continue to serve as its F1 reserve driver, having taken part in multiple tests and practice sessions with the team since 2022.
His primary focus will be his IndyCar campaign from March to August but McLaren could also call upon engine supplier Mercedes's reserve driver pool including Valtteri Bottas should it need a stand-in for Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri.
Ferrari - Zhou Guanyu and Antonio Giovinazzi
Having lost his Sauber seat after three seasons, Zhou Guanyu will serve as one of Ferrari's reserve drivers alongside another former Sauber F1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi, who races for Ferrari in the World Endurance Championship.
While not officially a reserve driver, it's likely Ferrari could call Ollie Bearman up from Haas if it needed a sudden stand-in for Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull - TBC
Yuki Tsunoda had been Red Bull's reserve driver but the decision to put him in the seat full time from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards alongside Max Verstappen has left the team without an official reserve.
Liam Lawson would be an obvious candidate if it needed someone, as he has switched from the top team to Racing Bulls. Ayumu Iwasa could be another candidate as Racing Bulls reserve, while drivers like Arvid Lindblad could be considered if needed.
Mercedes - Valtteri Bottas and Frederik Vesti
Mercedes wasted little time in reuniting with Bottas when it was clear he'd be left without a race seat for 2025.
He'll be the obvious choice to replace either George Russell or Kimi Antonelli if suddenly required but Mercedes also has Frederik Vesti as its reserve driver - second in Formula 2 in 2023 and popular with the team.
Should Bottas return he will have a five-place grid penalty to serve after he clattered Kevin Magnussen's Haas at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Aston Martin - Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne
The 2022 Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich has eagerly been awaiting his F1 chance on the sidelines at Aston Martin for the last four years.
He serves as Aston's reserve driver alongside ex-McLaren F1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne.
Alpine - Franco Colapinto, Paul Aron and Kush Maini
Back in Enstone with the Team 👊 pic.twitter.com/YDT6TBNt5B
— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) January 27, 2025
No 2025 F1 reserve driver will have more attention on him than Alpine's new signing Franco Colapinto.
Williams's star late-2024 stand-in is waiting in the wings ready to return to racing if Alpine decides to dispense with Jack Doohan during his rookie F1 season, as has been rumoured since his surprise early debut in Abu Dhabi last year.
Colapinto isn't alone in waiting in Alpine's wings though, with Formula 2 race winners Paul Aron and Kush Maini also among its reserve driver pool.
Toyota's sportscars champion Ryo Hirakawa was part of that, too - but he switched to Haas right after making his FP1 debut (and impressing) for Alpine at Suzuka.
Haas - Ryo Hirakawa
Kevin Magnussen lost his Haas race seat but he'll still test with the team in 2025 alongside his return to sportscars with BMW. His F1 experience would make him an invaluable stand-in but he isn't the team's reserve driver.
That role was originally unfilled, but Toyota-partnered Haas announced Toyota driver Hirakawa as its official reserve on the Monday after April's Japanese GP.
Hirakawa - who drove for Haas in the 2024 post-season test in Abu Dhabi - will get four Friday practice appearances as part of that arrangement, starting at the Bahrain GP in April where he will fill in for Ollie Bearman.
Ferrari's Giovinazzi should also be available to Haas if it needs a stand-in for Esteban Ocon or Bearman.
Racing Bulls - Ayumu Iwasa
Ayumu Iwasa - who tested with the team in Abu Dhabi last year - is Racing Bull's reserve driver.
Also in the junior programme pool there's 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad, who is competing in Formula 2 in 2025 and appears to be Red Bull's next big hope outside of F1. He reached the superlicence points threshold by winning the 2025 Formula Regional Oceania Championship (previously Toyota Racing Series) in New Zealand in February.
Williams - TBC
Williams doesn't have a dedicated 2025 F1 reserve driver yet but could theoretically have access to engine supplier Mercedes' reserves if needed.
Sauber - TBC
Sauber doesn't have an official reserve driver yet either, having parted ways with previous third driver Theo Pourchaire at the end of 2024.
