2026 Formula 1 Predictions

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We are a week away from the new Formula 1 season, and due to major technical changes, it really is a giant question mark on who will be successful or not.

Despite that, it’s predictions time!

Because what fun is it to just wait and see who comes out on top when you could look like an absolute fool?

11. Cadillac (Valtteri Bottas: 20th, Sergio Perez: 21st)

I like that Cadillac is in Formula 1, and I like their driver lineup of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.

But it feels like they completely rushed into this sport with not much time to prepare.

This could be a very, very rough first season.

10. Aston Martin (Fernando Alonso: 18th, Lance Stroll, 22nd)

Adrian Newey is considered one of the smartest minds in Formula 1.

Which is why his immense displeasure during testing has me thinking that this is not going to be a good year for Aston Martin.

They just don’t have the car.

9. Alpine (Pierre Gasly: 14th, Franco Colapinto: 19th)

I’m done believing Alpine is going to figure out what they’re doing with their car to make it successful.

So many years. So many team principals. So many different mechanics.

They still can’t get it right.

And frankly, I don’t think Franco Colapinto is good enough to be in Formula 1.

8. Racing Bulls (Liam Lawson: 15th, Arvid Lindblad: 16th)

Liam Lawson got a lot of confidence last year as the year went on, and Arvid Lindblad has a promising future, but this is still a junior team for a reason.

I don’t think either will pull out the crazy finishes Isack Hadjar did a year ago.

But hey, some good finishes here and there are certainly possible.

7. Haas (Oliver Bearman: 12th, Esteban Ocon: 17th)

I think Oliver Bearman is a really good talent, and I think Esteban Ocon is fine.

Haas can certainly do better at the second driver position, and I think a poor year from Ocon which has Haas fall behind some of their midfield competitors might have them considering a switch at the end of the year.

6. Williams (Carlos Sainz: 11th, Alex Albon: 13th)

James Vowles didn’t seem to happy with the Williams performance in testing, but one thing I do know is that the Mercedes engine in testing had a lot of pace.

On power heavy circuits, Williams can get some really good points.

5. Audi (Nico Hulkenberg: 8th, Gabriel Bortoleto 10th)

Earlier, I mentioned Cadillac as rushing into the sport too quickly.

Audi, on the other hand, announced in 2022 that they were joining Formula 1, and doing so with their own engine.

I trust Audi and expect big things from the German outfit in their debut season.

It doesn’t hurt that they have two really good drivers in Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto who showed last season that they can really get some great results.

4. Red Bull (Max Verstappen: 4th, Isack Hadjar: 9th)

Max Verstappen is excellent. We all know that.

But last year, he was well out of the title fight when the Red Bull car wasn’t up to snuff.

Red Bull has never had to go through an engine regulation change making their own engines, and maybe they’ll nail it!

But I’m not so sure they’ll nail it year one like their competitors have, and so the Bulls might end up on the back foot.

3. Mercedes (George Russell: 5th, Kimi Antonelli: 7th)

Now would be a good time to talk about the race start controversy throughout testing.

Because of the new engine regulations, cars take a much longer time getting enough battery to start and get a good jump off the line.

Mercedes engine performance looks really good, but their starts have been much worse than Ferrari powered engines.

If that doesn’t get fixed, and I don’t know how it will in time for the season, they could lose quite a lot of time at race starts, and make it much harder to regain those spots.

It might just cost them a championship.

2. McLaren (Oscar Piastri: 3rd, Lando Norris: 6th)

The two time defending champions also have a Mercedes engine, and I trust their ability to make a great chassis as they have the past few years.

But that race start issue has been a concern, and it’s especially a concern for defending champion Lando Norris, who has multiple times had poor race starts.

They’ll still compete, and they’ll still win races, but they might just be too slow off the line to take down number 1.

Which, if you’ve been keeping track…

1. Ferrari (Lewis Hamilton: 1st, Charles Leclerc: 2nd)

That’s right, baby.

I’m officially drinking the kool-aid.

The engine performance looks solid, but the crucial thing from testing is how good the Ferrari was getting off the line, and how quick it was in the corners.

And I remember when Lewis Hamilton made a rash jump to a new team right before a regulation change when he switched to Mercedes in 2013.

That went pretty well!

I am ready and fully prepared to look like a fool (much like I did when I said Ferrari would nail the 2022 regulation changes), but I do think it can happen.

It’s finally Ferrari’s year.