Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Bahrain International Circuit, 2026 pre-season test

Pre-season testing for the 2026 world championship came to an end last week.

The 11 days of running raised various concerns about how the latest generation of cars, built to the FIA and F1’s contentious new rules, will behave in race situations.

However the tests revealed little about the competitive order. It seems the top four teams – reigning champions McLaren, plus Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes – have extended the gap over the midfield runners. Newcomers Cadillac plainly have a lot of work to do while Aston Martin appear to be in deep trouble with their new Honda power unit.

As this is the first season under new technical regulations, expect to see rapid changes from the opening race in Australia in two weeks’ time to the final chequered flag in Yas Marina 10 months from now. This promises to be a much trickier season to predict than in recent years.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Bahrain International Circuit, 2026 pre-season test
McLaren are seeking a third consecutive championship

But as is traditional on RaceFans, we’re going to give it a go. Share your answers to these 20 questions on the upcoming season in the comments and see what your fellow F1 fans expect to see in 2026.

1. How many different teams will win races over the course of the 2026 F1 season?

2. Who will be the first driver to retire from a race during 2026?

3. How many grands prix will McLaren win?

4. How many grands prix will Lewis Hamilton win?

5. What will Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s best result be?

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6. Who will be the first driver to be dropped or substituted at a race – and who will take their place?

Sergio Perez, Cadillac, Bahrain International Circuit, 2026 pre-season test
Cadillac is F1’s first new team in 10 years

7. What will be the best result scored by a Cadillac driver?

8. Who will score the most points: Nico Hulkenberg or Esteban Ocon?

9. Which Mercedes-powered team will score the least amount of points?

10. Who will win the Monaco Grand Prix?

11. Will Fernando Alonso take a race seat for 2027?

12. Will F1 announce an increase in the number of sprint races for 2027?

13. Will F1 announce a joint race with Moto GP for 2027?

14. Which team will finish last in the constructors’ championship?

15. Oliver Bearman is already on 10 penalty points before the season begins. Will he collect enough to trigger a race ban this year?

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16. What will be the biggest political story during 2026?

17. Will Colton Herta have enough FIA superlicence points at the end of the year to qualify to race in Formula 1?

18. Lando Norris won the closest ever championship (relatively) last year – will this year’s drivers’ title be won by more than 100 points?

19. Who will win the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ championship?

  • No opinion (1%)
  • Valtteri Bottas (0%)
  • Sergio Perez (0%)
  • Pierre Gasly (0%)
  • Franco Colapinto (0%)
  • Gabriel Bortoleto (0%)
  • Nico Hulkenberg (0%)
  • Oliver Bearman (0%)
  • Esteban Ocon (0%)
  • Fernando Alonso (0%)
  • Lance Stroll (1%)
  • Arvid Lindblad (0%)
  • Liam Lawson (0%)
  • Carlos Sainz Jnr (1%)
  • Alexander Albon (0%)
  • Lewis Hamilton (10%)
  • Charles Leclerc (15%)
  • Isack Hadjar (0%)
  • Max Verstappen (17%)
  • George Russell (36%)
  • Andrea Kimi Antonelli (4%)
  • Oscar Piastri (9%)
  • Lando Norris (5%)

Total Voters: 92

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20. Who will win the 2026 Formula 1 constructors’ championship?

  • No opinion (1%)
  • Cadillac (2%)
  • Alpine (0%)
  • Audi (0%)
  • Haas (1%)
  • Aston Martin (0%)
  • Racing Bulls (0%)
  • Williams (0%)
  • Ferrari (26%)
  • Red Bull (0%)
  • Mercedes (47%)
  • McLaren (23%)

Total Voters: 92

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Check back on your predictions from previous seasons below:

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