The Ferrari driver line-up for the 2025 F1 season is one of the most intriguing we have seen in a long time.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton is locked in alongside star Ferrari man Charles Leclerc as he seeks a new challenge, albeit what is almost certainly the last of his storied F1 career.
Hamilton has yet to turn a wheel in anger with Ferrari, so it may appear strange to consider now who will replace him should he see out his two-year contract, and that be the end, but at 40 years of age, Hamilton does not have many years left in F1.
Although Ferrari can enjoy the Briton's presence in its team for a short while, it will have to consider its future following its stint with the sport’s most successful driver.
But who does it look to? Is Oliver Bearman a lock-in? Or can it explore an alternative option?
One eye on Bearman
Bearman will make his full-season debut this year with Haas, racing alongside Esteban Ocon at the US-licensed team.
The Briton already has three grands prix under his belt, one of which came with Ferrari when he stepped in for an unwell Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia last year.
Bearman impressed at each of his outings and has already been tipped as a future Ferrari driver, given his long ties to its junior programme.
The 19-year-old can be considered a heavy favourite for promotion to Ferrari in the years to come, should he impress at Haas.
Driver academies have had a heavy focus in recent years, with Red Bull and Mercedes’ driver line-ups composed of talents nurtured from a junior phase.
Ferrari could mirror that approach, filling 50 per cent of its line-up with a name it has supported for almost eight years. It justifies the monetary investment and verifies the faith placed in young talents.
So could Ferrari boost its chances and get a second junior on the grid for a better read of how to form its strongest driver line-up?
The Ferrari-Cadillac collaboration
The 2026 F1 season will spark a new era for the sport as fresh technical regulations will be introduced on the chassis and power unit side of operations.
However, there will also be another significant change on the grid as an 11th team will join, spearheaded by automotive giant General Motors.
It is set to join under the Cadillac brand, with 22 cars taking to the field for the first time since 2016. It creates an opportunity for two more drivers to join the grid - so could it be a chance for Ferrari to assess a second junior?
Cadillac will likely have its plans for a driver line-up, which may be an F1 veteran alongside an American name.
Ferrari and Cadillac have already confirmed an agreement in place that will see the former supply power units to the team in 2026, with General Motors currently expected to join with its own engine in the future.
Could the technical partnership expand beyond just a supply of engines? Ferrari will have the chance to offer one of its juniors to the team - but as it stands, none of them race under an American licence, dealing a blow should Cadillac wish to pursue that avenue.
If Ferrari is looking for F1-ready options for 2026, its options are thin - but there are a couple of avenues it can explore.
The Ferrari options for Cadillac
The Italian squad has a nice spread of talent across junior categories, with Dino Beganovic scheduled to take part in the Formula 2 championship with Hitech TGR this year.
The 2022 Formula Regional European champion finished sixth in the 2023 and 2024 Formula 3 standings and impressed during his two-round call-up to Formula 2 this year, scoring a podium in Abu Dhabi.
Beganovic has been associated with Ferrari for some time, linking with the team in 2020 at the start of his single-seater career.
He will face a tough test against highly rated Williams junior Luke Browning - but getting the jump on his team-mate and having a say in the F2 title fight this year will allow him to throw his hat into the ring for 2026 F1 negotiations.
Beganovic is the only Ferrari junior racing in F2 next year, with two options present in F3. Although it is unusual for a driver to bypass F2 on the way to F1, it is not unheard of.
It is a situation that could befall Tuukka Taponen and Rafael Camara, who both make their debut in the series this year, driving for ART Grand Prix and Trident respectively.
Taponen has been hailed by Finnish compatriot Valtteri Bottas, who voiced his hopes that the 18-year-old will be the next Finn to take to the grid.
Camara, meanwhile, has an exemplary junior record to date. In the seven championships in which he has taken part, he has finished no lower than fifth in the standings.
The Brazilian racer enters F3 as the reigning Formula Regional European champion, beating Tapponen to the title last year.
Cadillac has the right to pursue its options and stand on its own, making the decisions without input from Ferrari.
But the Italian organisation would be doing itself a disservice if it did not encourage its new partner to look at the talent in its pool to broaden its options down the line.
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