FIA Rookie of the Year Award Goes to Ferrari Junior Rafael Câmara

For the second consecutive year, the FIA's Rookie of the Year award has bypassed the Formula 1 grid, this time honoring Ferrari junior driver and 2025 Formula 3 champion Rafael Câmara. The Brazilian prodigy clinched the F3 title with a weekend to spare, marking a dominant debut season that included four Grand Prix wins and five pole positions.

Why it matters:

The award highlights the depth of talent in F1's feeder series and underscores Ferrari's successful driver development program. While F1's rookie class was one of the largest and most competitive in years, the FIA's recognition of a junior category champion signals that exceptional performance outside the top tier is still highly valued. It also spotlights Câmara as a future star to watch as he prepares for his Formula 2 debut in 2026.

The details:

• Rafael Câmara's 2025 F3 campaign was statistically dominant, securing the championship early and showcasing the consistency and speed that caught the FIA's attention.
• He is set to graduate to Formula 2 next season, having already completed a post-season test with the Invicta Racing team.
• Meanwhile, the 2025 F1 season featured seven rookies. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli led the class, finishing 7th in the standings with 150 points and three podiums, including a sprint pole in Miami.
• Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) followed with 51 points and a podium in Zandvoort, a performance strong enough to earn him a 2026 promotion to Red Bull Racing.
• Oliver Bearman (Haas) impressed by outscoring teammate Esteban Ocon, with a standout P4 finish in Mexico City.
• Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) recovered from an early-season release by Red Bull to secure his seat for 2026, while Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) showed promise ahead of Audi's works entry.
• Alpine's rookies, Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto, had difficult seasons, failing to score points.

The big picture:

The distribution of talent is a snapshot of F1's current state. While established junior programs like Ferrari's and Red Bull's continue to produce and promote high-caliber drivers, the competitive gap between teams means rookie success is often tied to machinery. Antonelli's strong results in a competitive Mercedes contrasted sharply with the struggles of drivers in backmarker cars, illustrating that raw talent alone isn't always enough to shine immediately in F1.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Rafael Câmara as he transitions to the highly competitive Formula 2 championship with Invicta Racing. His performance will be a key indicator of his readiness for a future F1 seat, potentially with Ferrari. In F1, the promoted rookies like Hadjar at Red Bull and the continuing development of Antonelli and Bearman will be major storylines for the 2026 season, testing whether their promising debut years can translate into sustained success at the highest level.