Here we are. After months of anticipation, Formula 1 has officially entered race week for the 2026 World Championship. For every team on the grid, this season represents a major opportunity, as the sweeping regulatory changes offer the chance to make a decisive step forward and potentially fight for significant results. Among the teams with the most at stake is Ferrari, which is preparing for what could be a crucial year in its recent history.
The Scuderia heads into the new campaign determined to return to consistently fighting for top objectives after several challenging and complicated seasons. Just like in 2025, the drivers entrusted with the SF-26 will be Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver line-up remains unchanged, with the Monegasque and the seven-time world champion forming one of the most high-profile pairings on the Formula 1 grid.
Reserve drivers remain essential
However, as always in Formula 1, the two full-time drivers must be supported by reserve drivers ready to step in at any moment. Whether due to a potential disqualification — for example, after reaching the maximum number of penalty points — or because of physical issues affecting a race driver, teams must have a reliable backup plan in place.
Ferrari experienced this situation in 2024, when Carlos Sainz was forced to miss a race due to health problems. On that occasion, Oliver Bearman, who was competing in Formula 2 with the Prema team at the time, received a last-minute call from the Scuderia to replace the Spanish driver. Despite the pressure and the complexity of the weekend, Bearman delivered an impressive seventh-place finish in a race where mistakes were always just around the corner. That episode highlighted how crucial reserve drivers can be, even if they are rarely called into action. In modern Formula 1, having a third driver prepared and fully integrated into the team environment is far from a secondary detail.
Ferrari: who will be the third driver?
For the 2026 Formula 1 season, Ferrari has decided to confirm Antonio Giovinazzi as its reserve driver. The Italian driver revealed the news himself during the presentation press conference for the 2026 499P livery at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.
“I will continue to be a reserve and development driver in F1,” said Giovinazzi. “Also this year. And then the answer I can’t give…”.
The Apulian driver will therefore once again combine his Formula 1 duties with his commitment in the World Endurance Championship. Giovinazzi is the reigning WEC world champion alongside teammates Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado, with whom he shares the Ferrari 499P number 51. His dual role underlines Ferrari’s trust in his technical feedback and experience, both in endurance racing and within the F1 development structure.
However, Giovinazzi stopped short of revealing the name of the driver expected to share third-driver responsibilities. The most likely candidate is Oliver Bearman, who is entering his second season in Formula 1 with Haas. The young British driver remains closely linked to Ferrari’s academy and is widely anticipated to continue as part of the Scuderia’s broader support structure in 2026.
With Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton leading the charge in the SF-26, and a reserve line-up combining experience and youth, Ferrari appears determined to leave nothing to chance in a season that could shape the future direction of the Maranello team under the new regulatory era.
As the 2026 season officially kicks off, Ferrari’s decision to maintain continuity in its reserve ranks provides a vital safety net for the crucial debut of the SF-26. With Antonio Giovinazzi’s extensive hybrid experience and the expected backup from a rising star like Oliver Bearman, the Scuderia ensures that even in an unpredictable year of technical upheaval, they have the talent ready to step in should Leclerc or Hamilton be sidelined. The focus now shifts to Melbourne, where the true pecking order of this new era will finally be established on track.
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