The final phase of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship is hotting up for our rookie drivers Kimi Antonelli and Ollie Bearman with just five races to go. At the start of this episode, we’re flying high with Mercedes driver Antonelli as he boards his flight to Mexico. But when you’re a jetset driver, how do you pass the time during long-haul trips across the world?

The high-altitude circuit in Mexico City also sees fellow rookie, Britain’s Ollie Bearman, climb to a career high finish with Haas, after a wheel-to-wheel battle with title challengers Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Before joining the F1 grid, Antonelli and Bearman knew each other well, and used to race together as teammates in the junior Formula 2 series. In an exclusive for this podcast, we arranged a fun reunion for them to compare their rookie seasons.

As Bearman and Antonelli and the rest of the F1 pack head to Brazil, our guides Sarah Holt and Holly Samos are joining the Cadillac Formula 1 team back at base at Silverstone. Here the team are gearing up for their debut F1 season by competing against their rivals in a race simulation. This is a moment rarely seen in F1 history - but our podcast has been invited inside. Cadillac won’t hit the grid until March 2026 - but it’s crucial they iron out any gremlins now.

In the real race in Sao Paulo, there’s another major milestone for rookie Antonelli, who finishes with the best result of his F1 career. His Mercedes teammate, 2025 race-winner George Russell, gives his verdict on the rookie drivers and looks ahead to why he and Antonelli must work together if they are to win future World titles.

F1: Back at Base is an IMG Production for the BBC, hosted by Rosamund Pike