F1 2026 Preview - What I'm Looking Out For
The 2026 F1 season is jam-packed with races, new regulations and new teams. There's a lot going on both on and off track but there are a few key things that I'm really keeping an eye out in 2026.
Will F1's Two New Teams Be A Success?
This year, F1 is saying hello to two new teams. Audi have taken over Sauber and Cadillac are coming in as a brand new team. They're completely unknown entities in Formula One and for Audi, there's the added pressure of them building their own engine.
No one is expecting either team to be fighting at the front but F1 and the fans don't want two new teams to join just to end up as backmarkers. With solid driver line ups for both teams and some strong personnel being hired, it should be enough to give them a decent starting block. I'm really curious to see how both of these teams do, however and whether they can at least put up at battle in the midfield.
How Will Ford and Honda do?
Alongside Audi building their own engine, F1 is also welcoming two new engine suppliers. Ford will be powering Red Bull and Racing Bulls whilst Honda links up with Aston Martin. Out of the two, Honda has the most recent experience in Formula One, having supplied engines for Red Bull. Aston Martin are hoping that moving away from the Mercedes engine will give them a chance to build a more bespoke package that will suit the regulations and the drivers on their own terms.
Ford has not been on the grid since 2003 and their technical partnership with Red Bull will spark a new era for them both. The partnership will help Red Bull as they continue on their journey to create their own powertrain and help their commercial success in the United States.
Red Bull have always wanted to make the move towards creating their own engine and they know the road won't be an easy one so I expect there to be a few teething problems along the way. For Aston Martin, this is a team who are hungry to fight at the front and win championships, I have a feeling that it won't be that easy, though.
Will Hadjar Make it Work in Red Bull?
Isack Hadjar is the latest driver to be promoted to the Red Bull seat and become Max Vertstappen's new teammate. While a promotion up to the main team is something any driver would be excited about, Hadjar has his work cut out for him. Being Verstappen's teammate has never been an easy job, even for the most experienced of drivers.
I think for Isack, continual improvement throughout the season with minimal incidents should be enough to help him hold on to the seat, especially since there's been a change in management at Red Bull. After such a brilliant run in his rookie year with Racing Bulls, I'm hoping that the Red Bull seat will treat him well.
Will the New Regulations ACTUALLY Give Us Closer Racing?
There's been a lot of chat about the new regulations coming into F1 this year, all with the hopes that they'll lead to better wheel-to-wheel racing. But that's something we've heard time and time again when it comes to any regulation change.
I'm not expecting miracles this year with all of the teams having to figure out the best way to exploit the regulations and iron out reliability issues. But I'm curious to see whether the drivers find these cars easier to drive and if we do get to see closer racing with more overtakes.
How Will Lewis Hamilton Do In His Second Season at Ferrari?
It's fair to say that Lewis Hamilton's first season with the Scuderia was a bit of a disappointment. The only highlight being the sprint pole and sprint win in China. After that however, the pace of the car lacked and Hamilton struggle to get to grips with the Ferrari. We saw a string of Q1 exits from him and his first podium-less season in his F1 career.
For himself, the team and the fans, Hamilton is going to hope that the new Ferrari car will be better suited to him and he can find performance on track again. I do think this will be a better season for the seven-time World Champion, especially since he now has a year's worth of experience under his belt and a better understanding of how the team works.
How Will the 2025 Rookies Do?
The 2025 rookies had an amazing year. There were podiums, multiple points finishes and some flashes of brilliance. But this year, they'll have less room for error. It won't be an easy ride, especially with a drastic change in the cars. But the strongest 2025 rookies will be the ones that can take all the learning from last year and apply them to this year. The pressure is on all of them to perform to try and keep their seats.