It\u2019s that time of year again\u2026 it\u2019s time for our F1 2026 predictions!<\/p>\n
Our crystal balls have been polished and the PlanetF1.com team is ready to put its neck on the line to predict what is about to unfold as Formula 1 begins a new era. Some of these may age like a fine wine, others like milk, but we\u2019re sure we\u2019ll have some fun along the way.<\/p>\n
F1 2026 predictions: The PlanetF1.com team make their selections<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Who will be Drivers\u2019 World Champion? (1 point)<\/p>\n Michelle Foster: Leclerc.<\/p>\n Henry Valantine: George Russell. I stand firm in believing Kimi Antonelli has the potential for his own title success one day, but if Mercedes shows itself as the strongest car, I think the stars will align for Russell.<\/p>\n Thomas Maher: Charles Leclerc. I think Ferrari is quietly confident heading into this new regulation cycle, and Leclerc will come out on top against Hamilton.<\/p>\n I reckon Mercedes will be there or thereabouts, and George Russell will be in the mix, as will Max Verstappen, but Leclerc\u2019s moment has arrived\u2026 hasn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n Sam Cooper: I\u2019m going Max Verstappen. I could be made to look silly but I\u2019m not buying the pre-season hype that Mercedes is streets ahead on the engine and I think Verstappen is the best driver on the grid so will go with him.<\/p>\n Oliver Harden: George Russell. He\u2019s ready now.<\/p>\n Jamie Woodhouse: Chalk up another one for Max Verstappen. If the Red Bull car and engine is there or thereabouts, as it seems to be, and remains competitive for much of F1 2026, then Verstappen is the driver who one would expect to most consistently pump in the results. The perfect recipe for a championship win.<\/p>\n And who will finish in second and third place in the Drivers\u2019 Championship? (1 point for each)<\/p>\n Michelle: Russell, Verstappen.<\/p>\n Henry: Charles Leclerc P2, Oscar Piastri P3 for me.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0George Russell P2, Max Verstappen P3.<\/p>\n Sam: Russell in P2, Norris in P3.<\/p>\n Oliver: Verstappen, Leclerc.<\/p>\n Jamie: Russell second, Leclerc third.<\/p>\n Who will be the Constructors\u2019 World Champion?\u00a0(1 point)<\/p>\n Michelle: Mercedes.<\/p>\n Henry: It\u2019s a long old season, but I\u2019m backing Mercedes. If Antonelli rises closer to his potential this season, I\u2019ll put him on some podiums, and maybe a first race win.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Mercedes.<\/p>\n Sam: I think the best combination of drivers is still McLaren so will go with them.<\/p>\n Oliver: Mercedes.<\/p>\n Jamie: Mercedes.<\/p>\n Who will finish with the wooden spoon in the Constructors\u2019 Championship? (1 point)<\/p>\n Michelle: Cadillac.<\/p>\n Henry: Sorry Cadillac, as the newcomers it\u2019ll be hard to finish away from the bottom in a first season \u2013 even with two extremely experienced drivers behind the wheel.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0While I reckon Aston Martin will have a bad start to this year, I think the gains will come fast once Honda\u2019s initial issues are put behind it. In terms of speed, the AMR26 isn\u2019t the slowest car on the grid, so a few strong results are still possible.<\/p>\n For that reason, I think it\u2019ll be Cadillac this year \u2013 not out of incompetence or ineptitude, but simply a case of them needing time to grow experience and knowledge as a team.<\/p>\n Sam:\u00a0I\u2019m going to disagree with my colleagues and say that last place won\u2019t be Cadillac but instead Aston Martin. I think Newey is spinning too many plates in his team principal\/managing technical partner\/co-owner joint role and I think he needed a guiding hand to say no to some of his more outlandish ideas.<\/p>\n Oliver: Cadillac.<\/p>\n Jamie: I\u2019m with Sam, I can see Aston Martin finishing bottom of the pile. The ingredients are there for future success, but it could be a painful road to get there.<\/p>\n Now for your full 2026 Constructors\u2019 pecking order from first to last\u2026 (1 point for each correct place)<\/p>\n Michelle: Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Haas, Racing Bulls, Audi, Williams, Alpine, Aston Martin and Cadillac.<\/p>\n Henry: Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Alpine, Racing Bulls, Haas, Williams, Audi, Aston Martin, Cadillac.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Williams, Haas, Alpine, Audi, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Cadillac.<\/p>\n Sam: McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari, Williams, Audi, Haas, Racing Bulls, Cadillac, Alpine, Aston Martin.<\/p>\n Oliver: Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine, Haas, Williams, Audi, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Cadillac.<\/p>\n Jamie: Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Williams, Haas, Alpine, Racing Bulls, Audi, Cadillac, Aston Martin.<\/p>\n Onto some of the big driver battles\u2026 who will score more points: Norris or Piastri?\u00a0(1 point)<\/p>\n Michelle: Norris.<\/p>\n Henry: I was the only one to back Oscar Piastri last season, and I\u2019ll do so again this time around.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Oscar Piastri. Lessons have been learned.<\/p>\n Sam: Norris for me. I think being World Champion will unlock another level from him.<\/p>\n Oliver: If the car is a regular winner, Norris. If not, his motivation could waver, so Piastri.<\/p>\n Jamie: It will be close. But I\u2019ll go with Norris.<\/p>\n Hamilton or Leclerc? (1 point)<\/p>\n Michelle: Leclerc.<\/p>\n Henry: Flip of a coin \u2013 Leclerc, but Hamilton will be a heck of a lot closer than 2025.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Leclerc, but I agree with Henry \u2013 Hamilton will be much improved this year.<\/p>\n Sam: Leclerc.<\/p>\n Oliver: Leclerc.<\/p>\n Jamie: I got burned big time last year for believing in a Hamilton resurgence. I\u2019m probably daft enough to predict it again, but no, Leclerc wins this battle for me.<\/p>\n Russell or Antonelli? (1 point)<\/p>\n Michelle: Russell.<\/p>\n Henry: Russell\u2019s my pick for champion, so to keep the continuity going\u2026<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Russell, but Antonelli will have shown a big step forward too.<\/p>\n Sam: Russell.<\/p>\n Oliver: Russell.<\/p>\n Jamie: Russell.<\/p>\n And your one-word answers for the rest of the driver battles at Red Bull, Williams, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Haas, Audi, Alpine and Cadillac (1 point each)<\/p>\n Michelle: Verstappen, Sainz, Lawson, Alonso, Bearman, Hulkenberg, Gasly, owe, Cadillac is difficult. I\u2019ll give it to Perez.<\/p>\n Henry: Verstappen, Sainz, Lawson, Alonso, Bearman, Bortoleto, Gasly, Bottas.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Verstappen, Albon, Lawson, Alonso, Bearman, Bortoleto, Gasly, Perez.<\/p>\n Sam: Verstappen, Sainz, Lawson, Alonso, Bearman, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Bottas.<\/p>\n Oliver: Verstappen, Sainz, Lindblad, Alonso, Bearman, Bortoleto, Gasly, Perez.<\/p>\n Jamie: Verstappen, Sainz, Lindblad, Alonso, Bearman, Bortoleto, Gasly, Perez.<\/p>\n Predict a driver move for the F1 2027 season\u2026 (3 points)<\/p>\n Michelle: Fernando Alonso is going walk away from his GP2 Honda engine and call time on his F1 career.<\/p>\n Henry: If Williams doesn\u2019t take as big a leap as hoped, I can see Carlos Sainz\u2019s name popping up in conversation again. James Vowles said previously that Sainz\u2019s contract with the team, if fulfilled, could last up to 2028, but if either driver leaves (yes, either), I can picture him making a return to Ferrari. The Scuderia has form for re-signing drivers through its history, after all.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Verstappen makes the call to leave Red Bull, but there won\u2019t be drama or \u2018bad vibes\u2019 \u2013 I suspect Toto will get his man at last but, maybe, Max opts to sit out \u201927 for a \u201928 switch after a short sabbatical.<\/p>\n Sam: Colapinto gone before the \u201926 summer break and Alonso retires at the end of the year. Maybe even sooner.<\/p>\n Oliver: Alonso said last year that he wants to finish his career on a high. With the Aston Martin-Honda project needing time, don\u2019t rule out the prospect of him once again reuniting with Flavio Briatore for one last blast in a Mercedes-powered Alpine.<\/p>\n Jamie: Colton Herta to Cadillac for F1 2027, replacing Valtteri Bottas.<\/p>\n And what\u2019s your big, bold prediction for the F1 2026 season? (5 points)<\/p>\n Michelle: Only three teams will even feature on the grand prix podiums \u2013 winners, runner-ups and P3s.<\/p>\n Henry: I went with this prediction last season and fell just short, so I\u2019m going to repeat it: Haas to score its first ever podium.<\/p>\n Thomas: The new regulations end up delivering in droves, despite the complaints in terms of driving dynamics. It\u2019s in the nature of a driver\u2019s make-up to always want to push flat-out, but the extra considerations of this year mean there\u2019s plenty of room for mistakes. Unpredictability will abound, but the best combination will still win.<\/p>\n Sam: Toto Wolff will announce he is moving away from his team principal role at the end of the year.<\/p>\n Oliver: Let\u2019s stay on the driver market theme. If Alonso leaves, few elite drivers (the Verstappens and Leclercs of this world) will be eyeing that Aston Martin seat anytime soon. In that case, it will go to Carlos Sainz, let down by Williams being the slowest of the Mercedes teams despite throwing everything it had at 2026.<\/p>\n Jamie: Arvid Lindblad and Isack Hadjar will swap seats at the summer break, so Lindblad to Red Bull, Hadjar back to Racing Bulls.<\/p>\n Tie-breaker statement:<\/p>\n Michelle: Despite losing to Charles Leclerc, and not handing Ferrari the teams\u2019 trophy, Lewis Hamilton will give it one more go in F1 2027.<\/p>\n Henry: Despite predictions of running towards the back, we\u2019ll see Cadillac score points in its debut season.<\/p>\n Thomas:\u00a0Isack Hadjar proves a revelation, winning his first race. Who knows, maybe he\u2019s even the first driver to properly rattle Verstappen?<\/p>\n Sam: Max Verstappen wins 11 races.<\/p>\n Oliver: One more driver market prediction: Yuki Tsunoda cuts ties with Honda to take up a seat with long-term admirer Haas, backed by Japanese rival Toyota, for 2027.<\/p>\n Jamie: Kimi Antonelli will win his first grand prix in F1 2026.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n