F1 2026 season

[Vice Admiral]

We Britons beat ourselves up too much.  There are things we do supremely well.

Five of the top eight positions in the first race of this year’s Formula 1 championship were occupied by British drivers – George Russell (Mercedes) 1st, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 4th, Lando Norris (McLaren) 5th, 20-year-old Oliver Bearman (Haas) 7th and 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) 8th.

In every case except Hamilton’s the British driver finished ahead of his team-mate.

Meanwhile, the bookies have Russell to win the world championship at astonishing odds of around 4/ 5 and 8/11 (with Max Verstappen second favourite at, typically, odds of 5/1 or 9/2).

Those are insane odds at the start of a 24-race season.  The bookies seem to think Russell’s  winning the championship is a racing certainty.  I hope it's not tempting Providence.

[Blackpool Rock]

We Britons beat ourselves up too much.  There are things we do supremely well.

Five of the top eight positions in the first race of this year’s Formula 1 championship were occupied by British drivers – George Russell (Mercedes) 1st, Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 4th, Lando Norris (McLaren) 5th, 20-year-old Oliver Bearman (Haas) 7th and 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) 8th.

In every case except Hamilton’s the British driver finished ahead of his team-mate.

Meanwhile, the bookies have Russell to win the world championship at astonishing odds of around 4/ 5 and 8/11 (with Max Verstappen second favourite at, typically, odds of 5/1 or 9/2).

Those are insane odds at the start of a 24-race season.  The bookies seem to think Russell’s  winning the championship is a racing certainty.  I hope it's not tempting Providence.

That seems to be quite good odds on Max, after all it's Max and he could have snatched an unlikely victory last season, clearly the car is fairly good coming from near  the back of the grid 

Actually i've just looked and he was still over 50 seconds behind, lets wait and see how he competes when he's on the front row, I note he did get fastest lap

[ratedj]

Enjoyable 1st race, especially at the beginning with loads of overtakes between George and Charles.

Not bad, but it’s actually ironic that F1 has American owners as whilst the opening laps looked entertaining, they did resemble a Hollywood movie, with passing and re-passing. The action is fake rather than organic, which isn’t what F1 is about.

[ratedj]

Meanwhile, the bookies have Russell to win the world championship at astonishing odds of around 4/ 5 and 8/11 (with Max Verstappen second favourite at, typically, odds of 5/1 or 9/2).

Those are insane odds at the start of a 24-race season.  The bookies seem to think Russell’s  winning the championship is a racing certainty.  I hope it's not tempting Providence.

George’s odds reflect the sheer advantage that Mercedes currently have and shouldn’t really surprise anyone when you look into the data and see just how dominate they were today.

On a positive note, this was arguably Hamilton’s best race since Silverstone last year. His second stint was really good. Lindblad excelled all weekend. Also keep a lookout for Freddie Slater, who’s racing in F3 this year and was highly coveted before joining Audi’s young driver programme.

[mr.bluesky]

Not bad, but it’s actually ironic that F1 has American owners as whilst the opening laps looked entertaining, they did resemble a Hollywood movie, with passing and re-passing. The action is fake rather than organic, which isn’t what F1 is about.

I know there's been a lot of critisism from drivers and people involved in the sport about the new spec cars but there was plenty of overtaking in the first race which has to be a good thing for the spectators and those watching on tv. I would much rather watch this than seeing a car leading from lap 1 and just disappearing into the distance like last season. It's like football, I'd rather see a high scoring 3-3 thriller than a 0-0 bore draw. F1 like any sport should be entertaining thats why people watch it. I couldn't give a shit about the technicalities of it as long as it makes it exciting

[ratedj]

I know there's been a lot of critisism from drivers and people involved in the sport about the new spec cars but there was plenty of overtaking in the first race which has to be a good thing for the spectators and those watching on tv. I would much rather watch this than seeing a car leading from lap 1 and just disappearing into the distance like last season. It's like football, I'd rather see a high scoring 3-3 thriller than a 0-0 bore draw. F1 like any sport should be entertaining thats why people watch it. I couldn't give a shit about the technicalities of it as long as it makes it exciting

Whilst entertainment is a part of sport, no one wants to be artificially entertained. The overtakes were fuelled by drivers deploying their energy at different points, which most casual fans won’t understand, and probably don’t care to. The drivers, and most fans, don’t oppose action. Everyone prefers to see goals in football, but a 3–3 match is entertaining because both teams create chances through normal play. What people are objecting to is when overtakes are largely dictated by who’s managing the battery better and who presses the energy deployment button at the right time, rather than by racecraft. I would much rather see an F1 car being driven at the limits of its capabilities, be it in qualifying or race trim. Technical regulations, especially this year, are the foundations of the sport, and without it you can’t really understand why races unfold the way they do. But I will accept that we all watch sport for different reasons.

[mr.bluesky]

New season but it seems Ferrari still can't get their race strategy right. Missed the opportunity to call one of the Ferraris in for a pit stop at the first chance on lap 13.

[stampjones]

I know there's been a lot of critisism from drivers and people involved in the sport about the new spec cars but there was plenty of overtaking in the first race which has to be a good thing for the spectators and those watching on tv. I would much rather watch this than seeing a car leading from lap 1 and just disappearing into the distance like last season. It's like football, I'd rather see a high scoring 3-3 thriller than a 0-0 bore draw. F1 like any sport should be entertaining thats why people watch it. I couldn't give a shit about the technicalities of it as long as it makes it exciting

I agree with ratedj. Its true that there were a lot of overtakes but to continue your football analogy it's like a 3-3 game where all the goals were penalties. We definitely want goals in football but if we got them by giving each side a penalty every 15 minutes it wouldn't really be sport anymore. That's the problem with the current F1 regs imo

[Blackpool Rock]

I agree with ratedj. Its true that there were a lot of overtakes but to continue your football analogy it's like a 3-3 game where all the goals were penalties. We definitely want goals in football but if we got them by giving each side a penalty every 15 minutes it wouldn't really be sport anymore. That's the problem with the current F1 regs imo

But previously we had something that was more like 60 or 70 parade laps and the majority of overtakes were done by an undercut on a pit stop 

[Monaco]

Thought the race was good,no DRS trains and some good overtaking.
I can imagine it's a nightmare for the drivers though pissing around with modes every lap.

[ratedj]

Well, it’s no surprise that the FIA are already considering changing the 2026 rules after the Chinese GP.

[mr.bluesky]

Thought the race was good,no DRS trains and some good overtaking.
I can imagine it's a nightmare for the drivers though pissing around with modes every lap.

Makes them have to think more rather than just flooring the accelerator pedal for 60 laps.

[mr.bluesky]

Well, it’s no surprise that the FIA are already considering changing the 2026 rules after the Chinese GP.

I think for the F1 purists the general consenus is that these changes to the cars are not good whereas the more casual fan just want to see more overtaking irrespective of how it's achieved 

[threechilliman]

I think for the F1 purists the general consenus is that these changes to the cars are not good whereas the more casual fan just want to see more overtaking irrespective of how it's achieved 

A reasonable summary IMO

[mr.bluesky]

Ayrton Senna's 1986 JPS Lotus is up for sale at Sothebys this week if you have about 9 or 10 million £ burning a hole in your pocket. What a beautiful machine  F1 cars looked so much better back then

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[Blackpool Rock]

Ayrton Senna's 1986 JPS Lotus is up for sale at Sothebys this week if you have about 9 or 10 million £ burning a hole in your pocket. What a beautiful machine  F1 cars looked so much better back then

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I know his Tolman was up for sale probably 10-15 years ago, it was the car that he had his "Breakthrough" race in at Monaco in torrential rain where they stopped the race early as Prost was getting caught and was about to get over taken
Not sure it actually sold at the time but think it was about £1-£2M

[Watts.E.Dunn]

Had a GF at that time who said if i bought her a Lotous Europa in the JP special finish she'd marry me.

I didnt so she didnt shes now a long way a way down unnder!..

[Monaco]

These new rules are fucked up after reflection,today we have seen the cars going slower at the end of the main straight for quite some time despite being on full gas possibly because they are dragging the brakes.
That is not racing.

[webpunter]

The new regs are indded really fucked up [@Monaco  ]
MV has announced his thoughts & i agree with him
As i've mentioned previously the latter part of last season he has become most likeable
With his standing & importance to F1 [not far behind LH] he can say whatever he likes, respec
The cars are running on sustainable fuel so whats the big issue 
Some improvements less reliance on downforce
As for the increasing lekky stuff  , dreary
I'll tolerate it for a while given that i'm a LH & british driver supporter with a Mercedes leaning the W11 etc
So i like a Ferrari Mercedes battle & they seem to be upfront @ the mo
McLaren will have accumulated lots of younger [transient] fans & in many respects i lean towards RB
Carry on going to Silverstone for the w/e ?, i ditched this a couple of years ago and it has got piss taking silly expensive it seems to have lost its USP
I can see numerous fans switching off mid season tho as Sky F1 getting their payments difficult to verify
& dwindling viewing figures will never be released, obvs

[Watts.E.Dunn]

Saudi and Barain are now canclleded owing to the war situation around that way:(..


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[webpunter]

Saudi and Barain are now canclleded owing to the war situation around that way:(..


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Was always gonna be the case
They delay in the announcement comes down to $
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Who cancels it & who takes the financial hit
One upside is that the FIA & the teams have a month gap to sort out the shite lekky charging rules & regs

MV will be happy as the gap allows him more time to prepare for competing at the Nurburgring qualifier
Announced 5 days ago
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He's been [IMO rightly] highly critical of the 2026 F1 car set up & should enjoy driving a proper racing car
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Interesting to see how much BHP his team engineers get out of the race car

The FIA are crapping themselves that he might retire from F1
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With MV's real racing interests widely known
His contract runs until 2028 the same for LH [with extension options] so they can both bank evem more dosh before moving on

[threechilliman]

The new regs are indded really fucked up [@Monaco  ]
MV has announced his thoughts & i agree with him
As i've mentioned previously the latter part of last season he has become most likeable
With his standing & importance to F1 [not far behind LH] he can say whatever he likes, respec
The cars are running on sustainable fuel so whats the big issue 
Some improvements less reliance on downforce
As for the increasing lekky stuff  , dreary
I'll tolerate it for a while given that i'm a LH & british driver supporter with a Mercedes leaning the W11 etc
So i like a Ferrari Mercedes battle & they seem to be upfront @ the mo
McLaren will have accumulated lots of younger [transient] fans & in many respects i lean towards RB
Carry on going to Silverstone for the w/e ?, i ditched this a couple of years ago and it has got piss taking silly expensive it seems to have lost its USP
I can see numerous fans switching off mid season tho as Sky F1 getting their payments difficult to verify
& dwindling viewing figures will never be released, obvs

F1's lost the plot with the new regs.

[threechilliman]

F1's lost the plot with the new regs.

Wouldn't surprise me if a few drivers moved on. Racing drivers want to race, not manage batteries round the lap.

[ratedj]

Wouldn't surprise me if a few drivers moved on. Racing drivers want to race, not manage batteries round the lap.

Yeah, don’t be surprised if he takes a sabbatical next year.
The thing is, irrespective of the discipline, Max is a pure racer. That’s why he’s doing the Nurburgring 24-hour race, and it’s also why he does a lot of sim racing. He just wants to race and lean on a car’s capabilities. 

I found Charles’s comments after qualifying very telling. He said, ‘The important thing in qualifying isn't perfection. It's better to stay under the limit by always doing the same thing, rather than making it to Q3 and trying something more’. Drivers are having to hold back to avoid confusing the car’s electronics and it depleting energy in an area of the track it’s not supposed to. This can’t be how we go about racing. Drivers who used to excel at driving at the limit of the car, the tires, available grip and conditions are now being severely handicapped.

[ratedj]

These new rules are fucked up after reflection,today we have seen the cars going slower at the end of the main straight for quite some time despite being on full gas possibly because they are dragging the brakes.
That is not racing.

Not only is it not racing but it’s far from the pinnacle of motorsport. It’s not that they’re dragging the brakes. Because of the energy allowance per lap, drivers are having to introduce super clipping while at full throttle on the end of straights and in high-speed corners.  The engine basically starts running in reverse by allowing the MGU-K to harvest some of the energy rather than it be used to power the rear wheels. That’s why you get that audible change when it kicks in. It’s drab.

[Blackpool Rock]

GR was only 0.7 of a second slower in sprint quali than last year so it's not a massive performance difference and i'm sure with upgrades the cars will go faster as the season progresses.

Historically drivers often had to nurse sick cars home or lift off early as the brakes were too hot / fading or the tyres were fucked, it's about getting maximum performance out of the equipment you have available.
I hanker for the days when they had to manually change gear but I doubt that's going to make a return anytime soon, just look at the steering wheels which are packed with buttons and LED's etc, it's been more like a video game for decades now

As for peak driving performance I seem to recall people complaining when Diesel cars started winning LeMans not as they were necessarily the out and out fastest on any given lap but they were more fuel efficient so spent less time in the pits refuelling 

[mr.bluesky]

So the Bahrain and Saudi grand prix's wont be going ahead as expected  but they will not be replaced either so the racing calendar will be shortened by two races

[ratedj]

GR was only 0.7 of a second slower in sprint quali than last year so it's not a massive performance difference and i'm sure with upgrades the cars will go faster as the season progresses.

Historically drivers often had to nurse sick cars home or lift off early as the brakes were too hot / fading or the tyres were fucked, it's about getting maximum performance out of the equipment you have available.
I hanker for the days when they had to manually change gear but I doubt that's going to make a return anytime soon, just look at the steering wheels which are packed with buttons and LED's etc, it's been more like a video game for decades now

As for peak driving performance I seem to recall people complaining when Diesel cars started winning LeMans not as they were necessarily the out and out fastest on any given lap but they were more fuel efficient so spent less time in the pits refuelling 

I don’t think anyone, including the fans and drivers, are complaining about the current speed of the cars. Nobody is asking for them to be as quick as the GE cars. The problem is how you unlock performance from the current cars. The driver has become less important than ever.

Managing tyres, brake temps and other components has always been part of F1, and still is today, and it’s always been about working around the physical limits of the car. You’re equating mechanical management with software-limited performance, which is not the same. Even if the cars do get quicker the same energy flow limit will apply, so it will be a moot point. The FIA are going to need to make changes, such as tweaking the energy management limits, reducing the power deployment or increasing the power of the ICE, though it remains to be seen whether the latter is even possible.

And while there was initial criticism of the sound of diesel engines, the complaints were more likely to do with its competitive advantage, given that WEC is an endurance championship, and where it’s a case of speed vs efficiency. Endurance racing is built around this trade-off. It’s a bit of an apples versus oranges comparison.

[ratedj]

So the Bahrain and Saudi grand prix's wont be going ahead as expected  but they will not be replaced either so the racing calendar will be shortened by two races

Not a surprise. Ideally, it would have been good if teams could have taken advantage of the cancellations by holding a test session.

[Iamforreal]

Happy for Kimi, gutted for Norris and McLaren,,,looong season ahead for them.
The battle between Lewis and Charles was nice to see, very clean and with a lot of finesse.

[Vice Admiral]

So Lando Norris never made it to the grid as a result of an electrical problem, and Oscar Piastri had to be wheeled off the grid when a different electrical problem meant his car couldn't be started either.

Good God!  Having a McLaren F1 car doesn't seem to be very different from being the owner of an Austin Allegro or a Morris Marina back in the seventies!

[mr.bluesky]

Happy for Kimi, gutted for Norris and McLaren,,,looong season ahead for them.
The battle between Lewis and Charles was nice to see, very clean and with a lot of finesse.

Yes, 100% agree, Hamilton and Leclerc showing you can race each other fairly without taking each other out.

[mr.bluesky]

So Lando Norris never made it to the grid as a result of an electrical problem, and Oscar Piastri had to be wheeled off the grid when a different electrical problem meant his car couldn't be started either.

Good God!  Having a McLaren F1 car doesn't seem to be very different from being the owner of an Austin Allegro or a Morris Marina back in the seventies!

They were'nt called Austin All agro's for nothing .

[Iamforreal]

So Lando Norris never made it to the grid as a result of an electrical problem, and Oscar Piastri had to be wheeled off the grid when a different electrical problem meant his car couldn't be started either.

Good God!  Having a McLaren F1 car doesn't seem to be very different from being the owner of an Austin Allegro or a Morris Marina back in the seventies!

Still it's first time since 1982 since both McLaren drivers didn't start a race, very good record.

[Vice Admiral]

Still it's first time since 1982 since both McLaren drivers didn't start a race, very good record.

Coincidentally, that was the last year Austin Allegros were made!

[stampjones]

Still it's first time since 1982 since both McLaren drivers didn't start a race, very good record.

Is it? Or are you being sarcastic?
Can't imagine many teams have had many or indeed any DNSs in that period

[webpunter]

Wouldn't surprise me if a few drivers moved on. Racing drivers want to race, not manage batteries round the lap.

Once they've clocked up a good number of years making a bundle
Sets them up for life
No other race set up gets close 
F1 makes helps them secure lucrative sponsorship deals
& fit burds

[mrwhite]

Not only is it not racing but it’s far from the pinnacle of motorsport. It’s not that they’re dragging the brakes. Because of the energy allowance per lap, drivers are having to introduce super clipping while at full throttle on the end of straights and in high-speed corners.  The engine basically starts running in reverse by allowing the MGU-K to harvest some of the energy rather than it be used to power the rear wheels. That’s why you get that audible change when it kicks in. It’s drab.

The first two weekends looked like racing to me, when was the last season you saw the lead change 7 or 8 times in the first few laps?  And the same jostling was happening up and down the grid.

The cars are still hitting 330kph on the straights, and they are getting there faster as well.  They are faster through the corners and cars are able to follow each other in ways not seen for at least 20 years.

Yes, they are having to slow to recharge the battery - but how different is that to lift and coast to save fuel in previous seasons?
How many years were drivers told to slow down to protect the tyres or brakes?

I'm enjoying watching cars that are slow off the grid, it reminds me watching F1 in the 80s, as well as watching drivers overtaking each other and then losing places again.  I think the racing has become purer again, less defined by strategists in an office at the other side of the world.

So far Mercedes look to be running away with it, however, with two Mercedes customer PUs failing this weekend the package might not be as robust as first thought.  If that is the case then the season might not be a runaway for Mercedes.

[webpunter]

The first two weekends looked like racing to me, when was the last season you saw the lead change 7 or 8 times in the first few laps?  And the same jostling was happening up and down the grid.

The cars are still hitting 330kph on the straights, and they are getting there faster as well.  They are faster through the corners and cars are able to follow each other in ways not seen for at least 20 years.

Yes, they are having to slow to recharge the battery - but how different is that to lift and coast to save fuel in previous seasons?
How many years were drivers told to slow down to protect the tyres or brakes?

I'm enjoying watching cars that are slow off the grid, it reminds me watching F1 in the 80s, as well as watching drivers overtaking each other and then losing places again.  I think the racing has become purer again, less defined by strategists in an office at the other side of the world.

So far Mercedes look to be running away with it, however, with two Mercedes customer PUs failing this weekend the package might not be as robust as first thought.  If that is the case then the season might not be a runaway for Mercedes.

You've hit the nail on the head
The lead changing & more overtaking, lots more
The strategy stuff pretty dull all too predictable
I'm coming round to the idea
That less downforce a big plus drivers making mistakes going off line before making it back on the black stuff rather than being on rails

The racing between LH & LC was brilliant tho LC nearly rear ended LH WTF

PU problems adding extra interest not just failures handling problems when the drivers least expect it
I'm pretty sure that Mercedes themselves have a slightly better version
The PUs failing not visual as maybe a decade ago with engines going bang & lots of smoke

I can see the 2025 season acquired part time McLaren supporters [footy parlance PTS] having a rethink, they can off you fuck
Imagine paying shit loads for McLaren hospitality @ Silverstone [or fans wearing team shirts] & the cars dont even make it onto the grid a great vibe ... not, oh dear

When a teams fans go quiet it can be fun
MV had a teeny weeny off @ Silverstone in 2021 & the RB fans were quiet as little mouses bless em, most of the 150,000+ there went bonkers me included
LH hauling in LC over the final 12-13 laps a second a lap was immense
Bottas the wing man 
I cant imagine seeing an end of race being there which will be so immense, happy days

[mr.bluesky]

Good to see Sir Lewis back on the podium, it looks like he's got his mojo back after last season. Great first win for Kimi Antonelli, I would imagine Ferrari have him earmarked as a future driver. Racing seems a lot better with more overtaking although the purists probably don't like it as they say it's false. Hopefully Mclaren can sort out their electrical gremlins for the next race.

[ratedj]

So Adrian Newey will be stepping down from his role as team principal, to solely focus on technical matters. The only surprise is that this happened so early. There’s a reason why technical directors don’t double up as team principals.

[ratedj]

I'm pretty sure that Mercedes themselves have a slightly better version

The rules mandate factory teams to provide their customer teams with exactly the same specification PU and software. What Mercedes are doing is not advising its customer teams on how best to optimise the software.

[mr.bluesky]

So Adrian Newey will be stepping down from his role as team principal, to solely focus on technical matters. The only surprise is that this happened so early. There’s a reason why technical directors don’t double up as team principals.

No surprise especially as the Aston Martin hasn't been pulling up any trees so far this season.

[webpunter]

The rules mandate factory teams to provide their customer teams with exactly the same specification PU and software. What Mercedes are doing is not advising its customer teams on how best to optimise the software.

Thats for the customer teams to figure out rather than relying on Mercedes
If they don't like it go to another supplier
They could try with Red Bull Ford

[webpunter]

No surprise especially as the Aston Martin hasn't been pulling up any trees so far this season.

AN's experience & success relates to ICE engines & then the addition of hybrid power
His move to AM will have in part been financially driven Mercedes Ferrari McLaren unwilling or unable to match the package offered
With the lekky set up maybe its not something he's particularly versed or interested in
It must be a tough job being Team Principal @ AM as the position in reality is in name only
Having to deal with nepotism on a daily basis must be a struggle
His driver focus is only on Alonso as daddys boy can do whatever he wants be crap yet he's never going to be replaced
Suppose he might at some point be persuaded by his dad to do something outside of F1 if he gets further adrift
If his dad decides to sell AM he's gorne & be mightily relieved, he doesnt strike me that he;s really into it

[ratedj]

If anyone has any time I’d suggest watching this video. Provides good insight into the current issues that exist. A bit of a depressing state.

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[webpunter]

If anyone has any time I’d suggest watching this video. Provides good insight into the current issues that exist. A bit of a depressing state.

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Deffo watch this laters
Thanks for sharing 

[scouting]

If anyone has any time I’d suggest watching this video. Provides good insight into the current issues that exist. A bit of a depressing state.

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Thanks mate, fascinating. Let's hope changes are made. I guess with such a massive upheaval of the Regs it would be difficult to predict all eventualities. The convo about law of unintended consequences reminds me of the various changes made to qualifying. Such as cars rumbling round burning fuel off, or no cars on track for long periods.

[mr.bluesky]

Antonelli and Russell makes it a one two for Mercedes in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. Piastri is 3rd for McLaren. Verstappen down in 11th place. Seems like Max hasn't got to grips with these new regulation cars . Makes you wonder whether he'll leave F1 for another form of motor sport at the end of the season 

[ratedj]

Verstappen down in 11th place. Seems like Max hasn't got to grips with these new regulation cars . Makes you wonder whether he'll leave F1 for another form of motor sport at the end of the season 

A four-time world champion for Red Bull struggling in a new set of regulations, while his teammate is performing well, relative to him. Sound familiar? It’s eerily mirroring Vettel’s arc, and like Vettel I think Max will be gone after this season, especially when you listen to his post-qualifying comments.

I said previously that I think Kimi will be more of a problem for George than many anticipate and this is already proving to be true. It’s going to be interesting to see how Mercedes manage this dynamic.