4 Things We've Learnt So Far in F1 2026

We're three races in to the F1 2026 season. A new set of regulations have meant that those first races have given us a lot of food for thought.We've seen teams that have absolutely nailed the regs and others that are still trying to figure out what went wrong.

1. Drivers Unimpressed with Regulations

It's been clear form the first three races that the majority of drivers aren't happy with the new 2026 regulations. Between safety and performance concerns, they feel like this new era of cars is taking away from what they love most about the sport: proper on-track racing. And who can blame them? They're overtaking without meaning to, having to manage their batteries on qualifying laps and are worried that huge speed differentials will cause huge accidents. The FIA have brought in some rule changes from Miami onwards and whilst they won't fix everything, hopefully it'll be a good step forwards.

2. Mercedes Early Engine Dominance

There were strong rumours going into the start of this season that Mercedes were going to be the team to beat. And those rumours weren't wrong. Mercedes have completely dominated the first three races of the season, with the other team struggling to come close to them. They won every single race so far, including the sprint in China. And it's their engine that seems to be giving them the biggest advantage. They managed to find a trick when it comes to the engine compression ratio that's rumoured to have given them an advantage worth 15 horsepower. While the other teams are scrat ching their heads trying to figure out how to catch up, Mercedes are having a comfortable time at the front.

3. Ferrari Showing Good Signs

Whilst Mercedes have shown their dominance, Ferrari have had some pretty promising signs in the early stages of this season. Their car seems to have an aero package that works well and both of the drivers seem to be happy with the feel of the car. A noticeable difference compared to last year. The biggest sign for me is how aggressive Ferrari have seemed with the upgrades they want to bring with the car. It looks like there are going to be a whole host of upgrades coming to Miami after testing them at Monza for a filming day. We'll have to wait and see if it's enough to catch up to Mercedes though.

4. Williams in a World of Trouble

This has not been an easy start to the season for Williams. The team had shown so much promise in 2025 and hopes were high for 2026. James Vowles had said that they had started early on the development of the 2026 car last year. And with the Mercedes engine, I was excited to see what this team could bring to the grid.

It's fair to say that the season so far has been a letdown. After not making testing, they've been rumoured to have an extremely overweight car and are struggling to find performance. Williams have gone from being a solid midfield contender to battling right at the back of the pack. And right now, it looks like they aren't sure where to go.