The narrative that Ferrari “missed” the next generation of superstars like McLaren did with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri is starting to look like a massive miscalculation. While the headlines are currently dominated by the “Class of 2025” rookies, the results on the F2 podium suggest that Ferrari isn’t just keeping pace; they are building a fortress of talent ready to challenge the status quo.
If the 2025 season was about the breakthrough of names like Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, Isack Hadjar, and Gabriel Bortoleto, then 2026 is proving that Ferrari’s younger guard is ready for the same spotlight.
The FDA’s F2 Siege: Beyond the Antonelli Hype
The F1 paddock is currently obsessed with Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s rise. To many, it seems like Mercedes found the “next big thing” while everyone else was sleeping. But while Antonelli was graduating to a full-time seat in 2025, Rafael Camara and Dino Beganovic were busy turning the junior categories into a Ferrari playground.
Miami: A Statement of Intent
At the recent Miami Grand Prix weekend, the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) didn’t just show up; they owned the podium.
- Dino Beganovic fought through a rain-affected Feature Race to take P2.
- Rafael Camara followed him home in P3, a result that puts him a mere one point behind the championship leader.
The argument that Ferrari “missed” the next generation falls apart when you see Camara’s trajectory. Moving from an F3 title straight into a title fight in F2 isn’t just talent it’s the “Pinkies Down” approach to driver development: technical, efficient, and devoid of unnecessary noise.
The SF-26 Factor: The Great Equalizer
The real question isn’t whether F2 standouts can match the raw hype surrounding the 2025 rookies; it’s what they could do if they were strapped to the SF-26.
Ferrari’s 2026 challenger is a technical masterpiece. With its push-rod suspension and a power unit currently trading blows with Mercedes at the top of the performance charts, the SF-26 is designed to reward technical drivers who can manage the complex 50/50 power split of the new regulations.
While Oliver Bearman showed what an FDA junior could do in a pinch back in 2024 (and now as a full-time Haas driver in 2025), Beganovic and Camara represent the next evolution. If you put them in a car with the SF-26’s active aero and chassis stability, that perceived “gap” to the established rookies would vanish instantly.
The Verdict: A New Era of Scuderia Supremacy?
While the media is busy writing the “Kimi Antonelli Era” script, the FDA is quietly building a wall of talent. Ferrari didn’t miss out on the next Lando or Piastri they simply cultivated a different breed of driver.
With Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton leading the charge in the main team, the transition to the “Younger Guard” will be a matter of when, not if. Ferrari didn’t miss the future; they’re just making sure it stays draped in Red.
