Mid-Season Review - Where Do We Stand?

We're halfway through the 2026 F1 season. With 11 races done, we've had the chance to see what each time had been working on over winter break. Which ones are struggling the most with this set of regulations? Which ones suit them best? And which ones have improved the most? Summer break gives us the chance to sit down and have a look at how the season has gone so far.

Are the New Regulations Working?

There's been a huge change in the regulations this year. The ground effect era is gone and the engine now relies equally on the internal combustion engine (ICE) and electrical energy. The changes were make to allow closer racing, more on track battles and help F1 become more sustainable.

The reality hasn't been that straightforward though. The drivers have voiced their unhappiness since the start of the season, when it became obvious that energy management was going to be a huge issue. Overtakes are more dependent on the amount of battery you have left and less reliant on skill. The cars are losing speed by the time they get to the end of a straight because their battery runs out. As a result, it's made racing slower, the overtakes more predictable and the GPs not as exciting to watch.

Energy management plays a much bigger part in strategy over the weekend. Practice sessions aren't just about set up, it's the engineers trying to figure out the most efficient way that the drivers should use their battery. It takes more power out of the drivers hands about how they run their race because it's more dependent on how efficient their battery is.

The FIA and Formula One has listened to the complaints. They've opted to step in and make some changes. From 2028, they're moving the split between ICE and battery to 60-40, instead of the 50-50 they have now. There'll be an incremental change in the engine next year before it changes to 60-40 the following year. Whilst it might not be the solution the drivers were hoping for, there's a chance that it will ease some of the issues they've had so far.

It hasn't all be bad though. One major positive of these regulations has been the closer racing. The cars can follow another closely without dirty air affecting them as much. It's been great to see cars close together lap after lap without having to keep their distance so their tyres don't degrade.

There are always teething issues when it comes to new regulations but hopefully they'll be ironed out as time goes on.

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A Dominant Mercedes

Pre-season, the biggest rumours were all about Mercedes and their engine. Considering how dominant Mercedes had been the last time the engines had a major overhaul in 2014, it didn't seem unlikely. And when the cars hit the track, we learnt that those rumour were spot on.

Out is Australia, the Mercedes car stretched it legs and showed the other teams just how powerful their engine is. Even though the team hasn't had utter domination, they're still the benchmark that everyone is chasing after. What makes them even more dangerous right now is the fact that according to the FIA, they don't even have the strongest engine.

When the additional development and upgrade opportunities (ADUO) were annou8nced, Red Bull were declared the benchmark engine. Theirs was one that every other engine would be measured up against. That's been a welcome result for the Silver Arrows who now have the chance to upgrade an already powerful engine, and that could potentially put them out of reach of their competitors. Was it a surprise to everyone else? Absolutely. Because it means that Mercedes have found the perfect combination of aero and engine and it could get even better.

Kimi Antonelli's Championship Charge

It's can be easy to forget that Antonelli is a 19-year-old driver who's only in his second season. The young Italian is leading the championship with 219 and already has six race wins this season. There were questions about how Antonelli would handle a competitive car from Mercedes but he's taken to it like a duck to water.

There were some bumps midway through the first half of the season. Barcelona and Britain saw Antonelli falter slightly, with a DNF and a a 15th place finish. Will those lose of points cost him his chance at a championship? We'll have to wait and see at the end of the season. Right now, however, it looks like Antonelli has the championship firmly in his grasp, boasting a 50 point advantage.

It's been an incredible season so far for this young driver and he'll be hoping he can continue that momentum into the second half of the season.

George Russell's Struggles

On the other side of the Mercedes garage, things have not be as good. George Russell entered this season with many people calling him the favourite to win the championship. After his race winning performance in Australia, it looked like it could be Russell's year. That didn't last long because as Antonelli seemed to find his feet, Russell found more issues with the car.

With just two race wins, Russell is sitting in third place with 160 points. The Mercedes driver who was once leading the championship now finds a Ferrari between him and his teammate. And it seems like the lack of performance is beginning to get to him.

Recently, Russell's been very open about how he feels that this era of cars doesn't suit his driving style. It's something he's struggling to get used to. That hasn't been the only reason for his poor form though, with Mercedes admitting that there have been issues with Russell's engine that they've been trying to fix.

Hopefully, this summer break has given Russell the time to reset and mentally prepare for the rest of the season. With a 59 point deficit to his championship leading teammate, Russell is going to have to pull off something special to catch up with him.

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Ferrari Fighting at the Front

Ferrari were a bit of a surprise this season. They've built a more competitive and reliable car than most people had been expecting and the results are shown in the championship. The team are currently P2 in the constructors and have had a pretty consistent run of results so far. They've already had two wins and nine podiums. Compared to last season where neither driver could take a race win, this has been an huge improvement in Ferrari's fortunes.

The team have been aggressive with their upgrades. They're more willing to take risks and it's paying off for them. The 'macarena' wing raised a few eyebrows where it first debuted but more teams are looking for a way to make it work after seeing the results. After a host of upgrades in the first half of the season, there are more to come after summer break which Ferrari hope will close the gap ot the front.

The biggest aspect that's currently holding them back is the engine. Ferrari's aerodynamics is the strongest on the grid. Their chassis has give them superior speed and stability in corners. However, their biggest enemy right now are the straights, where the Prancing Horse just doesn't have the engine power to attack or defend. It's left them as sitting ducks. The team are taking steps to try and remedy that deficit. ADUO has allowed them two opportunities to improve their engine. Ferrari has already used one of them earlier this season, with a second planned upgrade rumoured for Monza.

Even with a weaker engine, there seems to be a change in Ferrari. There's more cohesion within the team. More trust between the drivers and engineers and a palpable feeling of optimism. Ferrari believes in themselves, they believe they have the car to win races and stand on podiums. it's just a matter of fine tuning it and improving the engine.

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Early Season Improvements

Unsurprisingly, not every team has been able to hit the ground running. McLaren were one of those teams. The MCL60 wasn't a backmarker at the start of the season but it was nowhere near the performance it had in 2025 when the team took both the driver's and constructor's championships. They're currently battling for third place against Red Bull, trailing behind Mercedes and Ferrari.

Considering how strong the Mercedes engine was, McLaren couldn't understand why they weren't able to get the same sort of power. Fast forward a few races and the team have figured out how to optimise the engine for their aero package. Their latest round of upgrades have also brought impressive speed to the car and helped Lando Norris get his first win of the season. It looks like they've managed to leap frog Ferrari and they might just be able to consistently battle with Mercedes right at the front in the second half of the season.

Aston Martin were another team that were struggling at the start of the season. There were high hopes for the team with Adrian Newey's influence on the car and Honda returning to become their engine supplier. Those hopes were short lived though. This season, the team have been battling their own car right at the back of the field.

Often 3 second off the pace, Aston's biggest issue has been their engine. It caused huge vibrations that were damaging parts of the car and nearly causing the drivers injury. It led to the team turning the engine down and cutting their races short to avoid damage. It seemed like they were completely in no man's land.

But the Hungarian GP could have been a defining moment in their season. Aston Martin brought a huge aero package upgrade with them and it completely change their weekend. They went from battling in for P20, to battling in the midfield. Still a little way away from the points but the closest they've been this season. Honda is promising an engine upgrade in the second half of the season that they hope will allow the team to continue their in the battle in the midfield for points. We'll have to wait and see if that happens but right now, the signs are promising.

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With the second half of the season ready to start up, there's still everything to race for. Teams and drivers will be hoping that the upgrades they have coming will give them a competitive edge but you never know what could happen on track.