The year has come and gone after being treated to 24 weekends of exhilarating racing. This season will go down as “Annus McLaren” after the papayas swept both the constructors’ and drivers’ titles for the first time since 1998. While the 2026 Formula 1 grid may look similar to this past term, the vehicles will sport drastic alterations from electric power units to more compact designs and the eradication of DRS. We are examining the men who have been tasked with piloting the much-changed cars over the coming season.
After a whirlwind transfer season in 2024, the situation is a lot calmer in the paddock for 2026. Only Red Bull and their junior team feature changes in their driver lineup, with Isack Hadjar stepping up to partner Max Verstappen, and Arvid Lindblad taking his seat. Yuki Tsunoda was the unlucky recipient of a demotion and will now take on reserve duties for the Milton Keynes Garage.
Outside of the driver transfers, 2026 will introduce 11 teams on the grid, after the arrival of Cadillac. Experienced hands in the form of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have been tasked with leading the team in its F1 debut season.
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
McLaren F1 Team
Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri
Mercedes-AMG F1
George Russell
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen
Isack Hadjar
Scuderia Ferrari
Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton
Williams Racing
Carlos Sainz
Alex Albon
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson
Arvid Lindblad
Aston Martin Aramco
Fernando Alonso
Lance Stroll
Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon
Oliver Bearman
Audi Revolut F1
Nico Hülkenberg
Gabriel Bortoleto
BWT Alpine
Pierre Gasly
Franco Colapinto
Cadillac
Sergio Perez
Valtteri Bottas
Teams
McLaren
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
McLaren F1 Team
Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri
The winners from Woking. McLaren dominated the annual Formula 1 prize giving in 2025, collecting the constructors ‘ and the drivers’ titles. Lando Norris edged Max Verstappen and his teammate Oscar Piastri for the individual honors. Piastri and Norris collected 14 triumphs between them last year and remain a threat for the year ahead. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the papayas. Before Italy, Piastri was 104 points ahead of Verstappen in third, but they allowed the Dutchman back into the Championship, and the fight went right down to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Mercedes
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Mercedes-AMG F1
George Russell
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes settled for second place in the constructors’ last season, registering 10 podiums and two victories. Both trips inside Victory Lane were delivered by the team’s senior driver, George Russell. The Briton eased off the gas at the backend of the campaign, only contributing one top five in his last six outings. On the contrary, his rookie counterpart, Kimi Antonelli, produced a 50% rostrum rate in the previous four Grands Prix.
Red Bull Racing
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen
Isack Hadjar
In one of the few changes to the roster this year, Isack Hadjar steps up into the cauldron that is the Red Bull second seat. The 2025 rookie replaces Yuki Tsunoda, who battled in the RB21, and finds himself relegated to the duties of reserve driver. While the news is bleak for Tsunoda, it’s positive for Red Bull. The Japanese driver will use his expertise to prepare the team for the season, and it helps that he has a close relationship with Hadjar to guide the youngster. Naturally, Max Verstappen stars for the Austrian-owned team, challenging for his fifth World Championship.
Ferrari
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Scuderia Ferrari
Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton
The men from Maranello will look back on 2025 with deep disappointment after failing to win a race for the first time in four seasons. Much was expected from Ferrari after challenging for the constructors’ title in 2024 and the recruitment of Lewis Hamilton. However, the team struggled with communication, disqualifications, and questionable tactics. Charles Leclerc did save some face with seven top threes. His new colleague endured a horrendous maiden campaign in red, failing to earn a rostrum in all 24 Sunday races, but to his credit, he won the sprint in Shanghai and finished third in the short format in Miami.
Williams
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Williams Racing
Carlos Sainz
Alex Albon
Williams was the standout midfield team this year, closing out the season as the fifth-best constructor. Their dynamic duo of “Carbono” collected nine midfield victories between them, with Carlos Sainz ending on the podium in Azerbaijan and Qatar. The Spaniard added to his portfolio in the sprints this season with a third place in Texas and a top six in Belgium. Despite the highs, the campaign was far from perfect, as the team recorded seven DNFs, four from Alex Albon and one DNS, courtesy of Sainz. If the British team can get over these hiccups, they could be challenging for more rostrums in the coming year.
Racing Bulls
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Visa Cash App Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson
Arvid Lindblad
The Red Bulls junior team produced one of the standout rookies on the circuit last year, in the form of Isack Hadjar. He beat his midfield rivals to the checkered flag three times in 2025, including his maiden podium at Zandvoort. With Hadjar now in the senior team, he’s been replaced by rookie Arvid Lindblad, who joins from F2. The British teenager collected two sprint victories last year and took home the Catalonia Grand Prix. He’ll play the junior role to Liam Lawson, who finished inside the top six twice in the previous term.
Aston Martin
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Aston Martin Aramco
Fernando Alonso
Lance Stroll
The Adrian Newey era at Aston Martin officially takes off in 2026. He’s been on board since 2025, but this season he’ll step into the role of team principal. Fernando Alonso will once again partner with Lance Stroll for the year. The double World Champion carried the team last year, powering to five midfield victories, including the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Questions continue to surround Stroll’s suitability for an F1 seat, after only returning six top 10s on the previous tour.
Haas
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Haas F1 Team
Esteban Ocon
Oliver Bearman
Ferrari’s feeder team, Haas, appeared to display more promise at times in 2025 than the senior team. One incident that springs to mind was Ollie Bearman’s fourth-place return at the Mexican Grand Prix. Bearman and his senior Esteban Ocon earned an accumulative 17 top 10 finishes in the last season, capturing three midfield wins. Bearman is one of our drivers to watch this year, after finishing the season strong. He returned two top sixes and as many midfield wins in his last six outings this year.
Audi
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Audi Revolut F1
Nico Hülkenberg
Gabriel Bortoleto
Kick Sauber is no more, and from this year we’ll see their cars covered in Audi livery. Despite the name change, the team retains its drivers, with veteran Nico Hülkenberg leading from the front, and Gabriel Bortoleto in tow. Hülkenberg brought joy to Formula 1 fans at Silverstone in the past year, clinching his maiden podium. The lifelong achievement wasn’t his only reason to smile, as the German prevailed in three midfield races in the previous season. Brazilian, Bortoleto showed signs of his capability in Austria, Hungary, and at Monza, but he’s still working on his consistency, and is hoping for a better return in his second season.
Alpine
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
BWT Alpine
Pierre Gasly
Franco Colapinto
The winners of the 2025 constructors’ wooden spoon, Alpine, endured a low point this season. They sacked Jack Doohan after five races without points, and brought in Franco Colapinto, who took last place in the drivers’ championship. A positive sign for Colapinto is that he managed to record a better finishing average than Pierre Gasly in the final 10 starts of the season. In 2026, the French-owned garage will ditch Renault power units and gearboxes for Mercedes, hoping to make their vehicles more competitive in the year ahead.
Cadillac
Expected 2026 Line-up
Team
Driver 1
Driver 2
Cadillac
Sergio Perez
Valtteri Bottas
We will have two US-owned teams on the circuit in 2026, as Cadillac joins the party. They are seeking to compete with the midfield this year and not take up the numbers. To help them achieve their mission, they’ve acquired the services of former Red Bull pilot Sergio Perez and 10-time F1 Grand Prix winner, Valtteri Bottas. Perez sat out of Formula 1 in 2025, after receiving the sack by his former employers, while Bottas was let go by Sauber in 2024, and assumed the role of Mercedes reserve driver last season. Despite his time in the shadows, the Finn was instrumental in assisting Kimi Antonelli in his debut season in the premier class.
Final Thoughts
After a plethora of changes to the lineups last season, the 2026 Formula 1 grid remains largely stable. The only big moves are Hadjar to Red Bull, Linblad to Racing Bulls, and the addition of Cadillac to the equation. Now that you know the drivers and teams for the season ahead, who do you think will constructors and the drivers’ championship? And would you make any other changes to the lineup if you were a team manager?
Formula 1 jets off to the Far East this weekend after a chaotic season opener in Melbourne. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris are clear favorites in the F1 Chinese Grand Prix pre-event odds analysis. The Red Bull frontman returns to defend his honor at the Shanghai International Circuit, while Lando Norris is on a high …
The Track The Japanese Grand Prix has the tightest track (Suzuka Circuit) of the season so far after races in Australia (Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit) and China (Shanghai International Circuit), and its fast corners result in fewer overtakes because of less braking. Little Movement The best number that shows the lack of overtakes on …
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2026 Formula 1 Grid: Drivers And Teams
Table of Contents
The year has come and gone after being treated to 24 weekends of exhilarating racing. This season will go down as “Annus McLaren” after the papayas swept both the constructors’ and drivers’ titles for the first time since 1998. While the 2026 Formula 1 grid may look similar to this past term, the vehicles will sport drastic alterations from electric power units to more compact designs and the eradication of DRS. We are examining the men who have been tasked with piloting the much-changed cars over the coming season.
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F1 Teams and Driver 2026
After a whirlwind transfer season in 2024, the situation is a lot calmer in the paddock for 2026. Only Red Bull and their junior team feature changes in their driver lineup, with Isack Hadjar stepping up to partner Max Verstappen, and Arvid Lindblad taking his seat. Yuki Tsunoda was the unlucky recipient of a demotion and will now take on reserve duties for the Milton Keynes Garage.
Outside of the driver transfers, 2026 will introduce 11 teams on the grid, after the arrival of Cadillac. Experienced hands in the form of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have been tasked with leading the team in its F1 debut season.
Expected 2026 Line-up
Teams
McLaren
Expected 2026 Line-up
The winners from Woking. McLaren dominated the annual Formula 1 prize giving in 2025, collecting the constructors ‘ and the drivers’ titles. Lando Norris edged Max Verstappen and his teammate Oscar Piastri for the individual honors. Piastri and Norris collected 14 triumphs between them last year and remain a threat for the year ahead. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the papayas. Before Italy, Piastri was 104 points ahead of Verstappen in third, but they allowed the Dutchman back into the Championship, and the fight went right down to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Mercedes
Expected 2026 Line-up
Mercedes settled for second place in the constructors’ last season, registering 10 podiums and two victories. Both trips inside Victory Lane were delivered by the team’s senior driver, George Russell. The Briton eased off the gas at the backend of the campaign, only contributing one top five in his last six outings. On the contrary, his rookie counterpart, Kimi Antonelli, produced a 50% rostrum rate in the previous four Grands Prix.
Red Bull Racing
Expected 2026 Line-up
In one of the few changes to the roster this year, Isack Hadjar steps up into the cauldron that is the Red Bull second seat. The 2025 rookie replaces Yuki Tsunoda, who battled in the RB21, and finds himself relegated to the duties of reserve driver. While the news is bleak for Tsunoda, it’s positive for Red Bull. The Japanese driver will use his expertise to prepare the team for the season, and it helps that he has a close relationship with Hadjar to guide the youngster. Naturally, Max Verstappen stars for the Austrian-owned team, challenging for his fifth World Championship.
Ferrari
Expected 2026 Line-up
The men from Maranello will look back on 2025 with deep disappointment after failing to win a race for the first time in four seasons. Much was expected from Ferrari after challenging for the constructors’ title in 2024 and the recruitment of Lewis Hamilton. However, the team struggled with communication, disqualifications, and questionable tactics. Charles Leclerc did save some face with seven top threes. His new colleague endured a horrendous maiden campaign in red, failing to earn a rostrum in all 24 Sunday races, but to his credit, he won the sprint in Shanghai and finished third in the short format in Miami.
Williams
Expected 2026 Line-up
Williams was the standout midfield team this year, closing out the season as the fifth-best constructor. Their dynamic duo of “Carbono” collected nine midfield victories between them, with Carlos Sainz ending on the podium in Azerbaijan and Qatar. The Spaniard added to his portfolio in the sprints this season with a third place in Texas and a top six in Belgium. Despite the highs, the campaign was far from perfect, as the team recorded seven DNFs, four from Alex Albon and one DNS, courtesy of Sainz. If the British team can get over these hiccups, they could be challenging for more rostrums in the coming year.
Racing Bulls
Expected 2026 Line-up
The Red Bulls junior team produced one of the standout rookies on the circuit last year, in the form of Isack Hadjar. He beat his midfield rivals to the checkered flag three times in 2025, including his maiden podium at Zandvoort. With Hadjar now in the senior team, he’s been replaced by rookie Arvid Lindblad, who joins from F2. The British teenager collected two sprint victories last year and took home the Catalonia Grand Prix. He’ll play the junior role to Liam Lawson, who finished inside the top six twice in the previous term.
Aston Martin
Expected 2026 Line-up
The Adrian Newey era at Aston Martin officially takes off in 2026. He’s been on board since 2025, but this season he’ll step into the role of team principal. Fernando Alonso will once again partner with Lance Stroll for the year. The double World Champion carried the team last year, powering to five midfield victories, including the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Questions continue to surround Stroll’s suitability for an F1 seat, after only returning six top 10s on the previous tour.
Haas
Expected 2026 Line-up
Ferrari’s feeder team, Haas, appeared to display more promise at times in 2025 than the senior team. One incident that springs to mind was Ollie Bearman’s fourth-place return at the Mexican Grand Prix. Bearman and his senior Esteban Ocon earned an accumulative 17 top 10 finishes in the last season, capturing three midfield wins. Bearman is one of our drivers to watch this year, after finishing the season strong. He returned two top sixes and as many midfield wins in his last six outings this year.
Audi
Expected 2026 Line-up
Kick Sauber is no more, and from this year we’ll see their cars covered in Audi livery. Despite the name change, the team retains its drivers, with veteran Nico Hülkenberg leading from the front, and Gabriel Bortoleto in tow. Hülkenberg brought joy to Formula 1 fans at Silverstone in the past year, clinching his maiden podium. The lifelong achievement wasn’t his only reason to smile, as the German prevailed in three midfield races in the previous season. Brazilian, Bortoleto showed signs of his capability in Austria, Hungary, and at Monza, but he’s still working on his consistency, and is hoping for a better return in his second season.
Alpine
Expected 2026 Line-up
The winners of the 2025 constructors’ wooden spoon, Alpine, endured a low point this season. They sacked Jack Doohan after five races without points, and brought in Franco Colapinto, who took last place in the drivers’ championship. A positive sign for Colapinto is that he managed to record a better finishing average than Pierre Gasly in the final 10 starts of the season. In 2026, the French-owned garage will ditch Renault power units and gearboxes for Mercedes, hoping to make their vehicles more competitive in the year ahead.
Cadillac
Expected 2026 Line-up
We will have two US-owned teams on the circuit in 2026, as Cadillac joins the party. They are seeking to compete with the midfield this year and not take up the numbers. To help them achieve their mission, they’ve acquired the services of former Red Bull pilot Sergio Perez and 10-time F1 Grand Prix winner, Valtteri Bottas. Perez sat out of Formula 1 in 2025, after receiving the sack by his former employers, while Bottas was let go by Sauber in 2024, and assumed the role of Mercedes reserve driver last season. Despite his time in the shadows, the Finn was instrumental in assisting Kimi Antonelli in his debut season in the premier class.
Final Thoughts
After a plethora of changes to the lineups last season, the 2026 Formula 1 grid remains largely stable. The only big moves are Hadjar to Red Bull, Linblad to Racing Bulls, and the addition of Cadillac to the equation. Now that you know the drivers and teams for the season ahead, who do you think will constructors and the drivers’ championship? And would you make any other changes to the lineup if you were a team manager?
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