The 2026 regulation reset has completely reshuffled the F1 order, with the sport’s new rules creating clear winners and losers compared to 12 months ago.
The biggest story is Kimi Antonelli. The Italian finished seventh in the 2025 standings with 150 points as a rookie.
Now, he leads the 2026 championship after the Hungarian Grand Prix, sitting on 219 points according to reports.
Mercedes’ mastery of the new hybrid deployment rules has turned their young star into a title favourite at the halfway point
Lewis Hamilton has also surged forward, climbing from sixth in 2025 to inside the top three, while George Russell has consolidated his position as a genuine title contender.
On the other side of the ledger, the drop-off for the 2025 frontrunners has been stark. Lando Norris, last year’s world champion points, sits a distant fifth.
Max Verstappen, runner-up in 2025, has slipped to sixth. Oscar Piastri, who finished third last season, finds himself outside the top five.
See the full comparison below!