The countdown to Formula 1’s new era has begun in earnest. There are now just days to go until the teams unleash the new-look cars that will carry their fortunes in the landmark 2026 season. Concepts crafted inside the team’s fiercely-protected factories are about to spring into life on the track.

It’s mid-January, and the Cadillac Formula 1 team are preparing for a huge milestone on their journey to the grid. At Silverstone’s famous circuit, the race crew has assembled for a shakedown, a chance to run the 2026 F1 car for the very first time. Sergio Perez, making his F1 return for the American marque, is the first driver to put some miles on the clock for the team. The Mexican fan favourite is confident that Cadillac is “here to do great things” when it joins the F1 grid in 2026. It’s been nearly half a decade since America toasted its last F1 World Champion, 1978 winner Mario Andretti, who has also been offering his words of wisdom to the Cadillac F1 team.

The Haas team are also ticking off the milestones signposting the way to F1’s new era. Team principal Ayao Komatsu reveals how Ollie Bearman’s positive attitude is a real asset to the team’s ambitions. The British racer, about to enter his second full season in F1, has goals of his own, winning races and future World Championships.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff paused his birthday celebrations to outline how he is also developing the team’s next generation, Kimi Antonelli, into a future race-winner. As the sport enters a new era, Wolff is as curious as anybody about how the pecking order is going to shake out when racing resumes in 2026. The first questions were about to be answered when the new Mercedes F1 car took to the track for the very first time - and our intrepid guides Sarah Holt and Holly Samos were there to witness the all-important car shakedown on a rainy day at the Silverstone circuit. After completing the first flying laps, George Russell gave his verdict on the car that carries his hopes for the 2026 season. Mercedes Technical Director James Allison and the Head of Mercedes High Performance Power Trains, Hywel Thomas, were also on hand to give feedback on the fruits of their labours.

As Kimi Antonelli prepared to climb into the cockpit for the first time, he spoke of his gratitude to everyone back at base who had got him this far. The Italian has already been on an incredible journey with the Mercedes team but 2026 is just the beginning of what lies ahead in Formula 1’s new era.

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