If you recently left Formula 1 because it felt like there was more talk about dirty air than overtaking, then maybe it’s time to rekindle your love. This 2026 season represents a new chapter: a factory reset for both the powertrain and aerodynamics, with the focus now on smaller, lighter cars.
More than anything, this year will be a battleground for some of the world’s biggest automakers. For the first time in decades, most of the logos on the grid will match the logos on our driveways.
With that, we wanted to fill you in on the details of who’s joining, who’s staying and who the power players could be as F1 undergoes the biggest change in recent history.
Alpine: the only way is up
While Alpine road cars are some of the best I’ve ever driven, the F1 project leaves a lot to be desired. After a string of poor results, including finishing bottom in 2025 with less than half the points of second-last Sauber, the Renault group decided to end its French engine program.
This is because the organization seems to be leaner and focuses on what really matters: the chassis. This will allow Mercedes-Benz to fill the empty space behind the driver, and the powerplant is expected to be impressive this year.
Led by controversial character Flavio Briatore, there is still potential in the old girl, but without real support from Renault it feels like a shell of what it used to be. Fortunately, it has two very talented drivers in the form of the experienced Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
Audi: the new heavyweight
Photo by: Audi
If you’ve ever driven an RS model, you know how good Audi’s performance cars can be. When Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto joined Sauber, I asked them what their company cars looked like. The answer? An RS6, something that Bortoleto was particularly happy with.
But this is the Volkswagen Group’s first real foray into F1. Audi has shown success in rallying, Le Mans and touring cars in the past, so F1 appears to be the final check box. The company is backing this effort with significant resources, evidenced by the fact that it even built its own engine.
Audi’s management is proven, its drivers are talented, and the company hopes the regulatory change will flatten the field enough for it to have a chance. This behemoth of a team could be one to watch this year.
Cadillac: The American Dream
Photo by: Cadillac
Red Bull’s challenge is nothing compared to that of Cadillac, which enters F1 for the first time ever as the championship’s eleventh team. This is a huge step for the United States, fully cementing the country’s rightful place in what was once a European-dominant sport.
With the support of General Motors, there is no shortage of resources. But 2026 will be a year of discovery for the team, which is building its own chassis from scratch. The powerplant will come from Ferrari – which is expected to be powerful this year – but Cadillac is working on its own powertrain and should introduce it by 2028.
With motorsport legend Mario Andretti on the board and a host of other talented individuals behind the closed doors of the Silverstone headquarters, it is a promising team. I was one of the few journalists invited to the opening of the headquarters, and the atmosphere was full of confidence.
Experienced drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will lead the team in what will be an exciting year for them.
Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz: business as usual
Photo by: Ferrari
The titans of the championship remain, with Ferrari and Mercedes supplying several other teams with their powertrains and components. In a hybrid world, the Silver Arrows are the powerhouse favorites, but the Scuderia’s power should never be doubted at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Both teams have some of the best drivers on the grid. Mercedes has already proven the value of George Russell, and young up-and-comer Kimi Antonelli is quickly growing into his role after his rookie season last year. For Ferrari, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton offer an unparalleled level of experience, and their records speak for themselves.
Unfortunately for both teams, they have failed to set the world on fire since the beginning of the ground effect era. They hope that experienced teams in the face of complex regulatory change will provide them with the opportunities they need to excel.
Ford: the return of the blue oval
Photo by: Ford
Ford returns to F1 for the first time since 2004. In partnership with championship giant Red Bull, the car manufacturer is making a major contribution to the development of the team’s powertrain division, Red Bull Powertrains. The American brand has a lot of experience with hybrid and fully electric powertrains, but would like to use the series as a testing ground to improve its road cars.
To be fair, this is a big step for both Red Bull and Ford. The team relied on Honda for its powertrains in the years leading up to this change, so managing this successful transition is no small feat. For this reason, 2026 will be a difficult year for the team from Milton Keynes, but new team boss Laurent Mekies is ready to pilot a well-designed ship through these troubled waters.
Max Verstappen leads the driver line-up, with the promising Isack Hadjar alongside him for the first time after a successful rookie year in 2025.
Honda: a promising powerhouse
Honda was planning to leave F1, but after its sudden rise in popularity and focus on hybrid technology, it would be foolish for the Japanese brand to burn its bridges. It left Red Bull at the end of 2025 and now joins Aston Martin under the regime of team owner Lawrence Stroll.
Honda is a proven winner in the championship, with its powertrains among the best on the grid, and with Stroll’s almost unprecedented investment in his team, the stars could well be aligned with the Silverstone-based team.
Honda joins legend Adrian Newey, with brand new infrastructure and the latest in wind tunnel technology, as well as two-time champion and F1 stalwart Fernando Alonso. There’s no shortage of talent, and there’s seemingly little Stroll can’t buy as they plan to hit the asphalt hard this year.
McLaren: reigning champion
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
McLaren remains in place with a partnership that has served it well in recent years. After an incredibly successful 2025, in which it won both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships, the Woking-based team will continue its partnership with Mercedes on the power unit.
It turns out that McLaren has managed to build a better car around its Mercedes powertrain than Mercedes itself, and with the German unit sounding strong next year, McLaren will certainly be one of the favourites.
Reigning champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri make a formidable duo, and McLaren Racing’s American CEO Zak Brown is a financial powerhouse. He has been able to connect the team with enough money to take it from the back of the grid. Team boss Andrea Stella? He is a proven team leader.
The only thing that can stand in the way now are team orders. The less I say about that, the better.
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