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Before the five red lights change to green, everything is still in F1 2026. You can hear the engines roar, and the air smells like burnt rubber and excitement, and the anticipation for this next season of F1 2026 racing is higher than it ever has been, especially NOW.

As they start F1 2026, this will be a new chapter for F1 2026 racing: new cars, new engines, new regulations, and a new championship contender; it’s a wholly different era. F1 2026 racing is at its peak for fans, regardless if they’ve been fans for years or have just become one after watching a Netflix doc.

This guide will provide you with all the information you need, including the technical overhaul of F1 racing cars for 2026, current standings for drivers, where all teams rank, and a projected outlook for the remainder of the current season.

What Is Formula 1?

The FIA Formula One World Championship (commonly known as F1 2026) represents the highest level of open-wheel racing. It pits the fastest cars on the planet against each other every weekend for 22 weekends every year from the beginning of March to November.

Every year, there are two championships running at the same time: the Drivers’ Championship, which goes to the driver with the most points, and the Constructors’ Championship, which is awarded to the team. Points are granted based on how well a driver finishes during a race. Winning earns you 25 points, while finishing in tenth place earns you 1 point.

F1 2026 is not only about speed but, instead, is about the perfect marriage of cutting-edge engineering, brilliant strategy, and incredible driver talent. F1 2026 cars are rolling laboratories where innovations in aerodynamics, engines, suspension, and software are at the forefront of automotive engineering.

In F1 2026 cars received the largest technological advancement of the past several decades.

F1 2026 Miami GP: Every Driver & Their Car

Andrea Kimi Antonelli — Mercedes W16 (Race Winner)

19-year-old Italian superstar & 2026 season champion. Driving the Silver Mercedes W16, Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix from pole position, making him the 1st driver to win 3 GPs in a row in the same season.

Lando Norris — McLaren MCL39 (2nd Place)

Defending 2025 Champion, race car driver Lando Norris drove the McLaren MCL39. Norris put up a strong challenge against Antonelli throughout the Miami GP, ultimately finishing in 2nd place. Norris is currently 4th in the Championship standings and determinedly under pressure to reclaim his Championship in a very competitive field.

Oscar Piastri — McLaren MCL39 (3rd Place)

Piastri’s podium finish of third place helped McLaren secure double podiums at the Miami Grand Prix in 2026. Having won seven races during the 2025 season so far this year, Piastri has shown himself to be fast and sits currently in sixth place in terms of the standings for 2025.

George Russell — Mercedes W16

Russell, the British veteran, drove the same W16 as teammate Antonelli in the Miami GP and finished in 4th place but is currently 2nd in the Championship standings. Russell’s consistency and experience are instrumental in Mercedes’ impressive start to the 2026 Constructors’ Championship.

Max Verstappen — Red Bull RB22

Four-time world champion Verstappen continues to drive for Red Bull with the RB22 and is powered by Red Bull Powertrains. Like many, Miami proved to be yet another tough week for the Dutch driver. Currently holding seventh, Verstappen has stated in public that adapting to the new 2026 power unit regulations has been challenging and will require substantial improvements to the car.

Lewis Hamilton — Ferrari SF-26

Hamilton is in year two with Ferrari as he continues alongside Charles Leclerc in 2026. While the seven-time world champion is still adapting to the 2026 regulations, his racing abilities have remained above par. Currently Brian is fifth in terms of the 2026 Championship and may still have his best days at Ferrari ahead of him.

Franco Colapinto — Alpine A526

Colapinto, an Argentinian rookie retained by Alpine for the new A526, has shown flashes of his speed anticipated from his first entrance onto the grid in 2025. He scored a modest number of points in Miami and is continuing to build confidence and familiarity with the new regulations.

Charles Leclerc — Ferrari SF-26

Leclerc, a native of Monaco, drove Ferrari’s newly 2025 SF-26, and was in contention to finish on the podium at the Miami GP before a spin late in the race, resulting in a 20-second post-race penalty which dropped him to 6th. Leclerc is currently 3rd in the Championship standings and his best hope to win the Championship for Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz Jr.— Williams FW48

The Spaniard’s return to Williams has been impressive this season, and he continues to build on that momentum with his 2025 performances. Sainz earned his first podium with Williams last year in Baku and has continued to extract as much performance as possible from a midfield car, now driving the Mercedes-powered FW48 alongside Albon.

Alexander Albon — Williams FW48

The Thai-British driver has been integral to the Williams team since joining in 2022 and has partnered Sainz in the FW48. Albon has consistently scored points from a car that wasn’t expected to be fast enough to challenge for points this season.

Oliver Bearman — Haas VF-26

The British racer has emerged as a real surprise package in 2026, being eighth overall this season. His ability to race aggressively yet intelligently has led to him regularly outperforming expectations, and he is quickly developing into one of the most exciting young prospects on the grid.

Gabriel Bortoleto — Audi R26

The Brazilian rookie is racing Audi’s new car for the 2026 season, the Audi R26, which is powered by the brand-new Audi AFR 26 Hybrid engine. Bortoleto has performed well in patches, scoring two points so far in 2026, and along with Hülkenberg, will be the building blocks for Audi’s ambitious long-term project in Formula 1.

Esteban Ocon — Haas VF-26

Ocon was competing with his teammate, Bearman. During the Miami Sprint Race, Ocon’s rear bodywork fell off during the race and created incidents throughout the field. He has scored one point in the championship so far while continuing to look for improvement in the new 2026 cars this year.

Arvid Lindblad — Racing Bulls VCARB 02

The young British driver, who has just turned 18, is the only real “novice” driver on the grid for 2026 after making the long jump from F2 straight into Formula One. Lindblad received a time penalty for racing conduct in Miami last week but showed potential throughout what turned out to be three very challenging days of racing for him.

Fernando Alonso — Aston Martin AMR26

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is now a 43-year-old veteran of Formula 1, competing in Aston Martin‘s Honda-powered AMR26. Despite not having earned any points as of yet in 2026, Alonso’s technical expertise continues to be a great asset to the team.

Sergio Pérez — Cadillac MAC-26

Sergio Pérez has two seasons of advantage (one race win) as he returns to the grid with Cadillac, driving the Ferrari-powered MAC-26. He provides winning experience and constructive feedback to the team as they attempt to build their first season in Formula 1. However, Pérez has not yet earned any points as the team gets settled on the grid.

Lance Stroll — Aston Martin AMR26

Lance Stroll is the Canadian driver for Aston Martin and the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll. Like Alonso, Stroll has yet to earn any points in 2026 and is part of an Aston Martin squad that is still trying to find the balance between new regulations and the needed performance from their Honda-powered engines.

Valtteri Bottas — Cadillac MAC-26

Valtteri Bottas, a 30-year-old Finnish driver, returns to Formula 1 with Cadillac as he drives the MAC-26, same car as Pérez. Bottas worked with Lewis Hamilton for five seasons at Mercedes, gaining a wealth of technical knowledge throughout that time. This makes him a considerable asset to Cadillac as they work through their goal of a successful first season in Formula 1.

Nico Hülkenberg — Audi R26 (DNS — Did Not Start)

He was supposed to race in Miami, but he did not start after his brakes caught fire on the grid prior to the start of the race. Hülkenberg is a veteran in Formula 1; however, he has yet to score an F1 podium and will continue to be a valuable asset for Audi from a technical perspective.

Liam Lawson — Racing Bulls VCARB 02

The tenacious New Zealander is carrying the Racing Bulls VCARB 02 team on his back this season. With an aggressive and persistent race style, Lawson has scored points at each of the first four races of the season and is currently sitting 10th in the championship standings as the clear number one within the junior Red Bull team.

Pierre Gasly — Alpine A526

The experienced Frenchman is racing Alpine’s A526, which changed engines from Renault to Mercedes power units. He has used his extensive race-day knowledge to help the team perform well, scoring points in all four races so far this season and sitting ninth in the championship standings.

Isack Hadjar — Red Bull RB22

After a successful 2025 season, young French driver Isack Hadjar was promoted from the Red Bull junior team to have his first opportunity to compete at the Red Bull senior level. Competing in the RB22 performance will be a challenge for him during this time, but he has proven he has the talent necessary to compete with the best in the sport, with his first podium finish occurring in 2025 at the Zandvoort Grand Prix.

F1 2026 Driver Championship Points Table

Pos	Driver	Team	Points
1	Andrea Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team	25
2	Lando Norris	McLaren Formula 1 Team	18
3	Oscar Piastri	McLaren Formula 1 Team	15
4	George Russell	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team	12
5	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	10
6	Lewis Hamilton	Scuderia Ferrari	8
7	Franco Colapinto	Alpine F1 Team	6
8	Charles Leclerc	Scuderia Ferrari	4
9	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Williams Racing	2
10	Alexander Albon	Williams Racing	1
11	Oliver Bearman	Haas F1 Team	0
12	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi Formula 1 Team	0
13	Esteban Ocon	Haas F1 Team	0
14	Arvid Lindblad	RB Formula One Team	0
15	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team	0
16	Sergio Pérez	Cadillac Formula 1 Team	0
17	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team	0
18	Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac Formula 1 Team	0
19	Nico Hülkenberg	Audi Formula 1 Team	0
20	Liam Lawson	RB Formula One Team	0
21	Pierre Gasly	Alpine F1 Team	0
22	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull Racing	0

Conclusion

For the upcoming F1 2026 season, more than simply another chapter in motorsport history, it stands for the future of automotive innovation itself. From revolutionary f1 2026 racing cars to advanced hybrid systems and sustainable technologies, Formula 1 is entering a transformative era that could effectively redefine racing forever.

The excitement surrounding F1 2026 remains on the rise for fans, teams, manufacturers, and the automotive industry. With teams gearing up for one of the biggest technical resets in decades, the one surety is that the future of F1 2026 has never seemed that enthralling. 

Disclaimer: The specifications, performance data, and pricing are for informational purposes only. Values may vary based on condition, originality, and market trends. Prices are estimates. For accurate details, consult the website and sources.

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