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Rookies Wrap Up 2025 as F1 Factories Shift into Overdrive for 2026
As the dust settles on the 2025 Formula 1 season, rookies Bearman and Antonelli reflect on their debut year while teams behind the scenes lay the foundations for 2026.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-02-13T12:32:34.000Z - 2 min read
The 2025 Formula 1 season is drawing to a close, and the sport's young guard is beginning to reflect on their inaugural year in the top tier. Haas driver Ollie Bearman traveled for the final races, while Mercedes talent Kimi Antonelli prepared for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Both rookies had to prove themselves in a highly demanding environment.
Antonelli, for instance, took a gamble on his tire strategy in Las Vegas—a pivotal moment in his debut campaign. His race engineer Pete Bonnington, known for his rich history alongside Lewis Hamilton, stood by him and provided the teenager with vital guidance. Bearman and his engineer Ronan O’Hara also evaluated their joint season to extract valuable lessons ahead of the British talent's 2026 campaign.
As the final dust settles on the season, F1 factories are already operating at full steam. It is early December, and teams are working feverishly to develop entirely new cars for the 2026 Formula 1 era, driven by a sweeping set of technical regulations. The Mercedes factory, for example, recently experienced its busiest day of the year under the direction of Chief Operating Officer Rob Thomas as they shape their new machine.
Amid these preparations, the clock is ticking relentlessly toward Cadillac's long-anticipated F1 entry. The American outfit is fewer than one hundred days away from its grid debut. Team Principal Graeme Lowdon can feel the pressure mounting visibly as the deadline for launching this new chapter approaches.