Have your say: The maddest prediction heading into the 2026 F1 season
The 2026 season is fast approaching, with uncertainty reigning supreme amid one of the biggest regulatory shake-ups the sport has ever seen.
With the 2025 season now in the books following Lando Norris’ victory over Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri, the stage is set for the next regulatory cycle — one that remains largely unexplored, with the competitive order still very much up in the air.
Amid the usual wave of rumours that inevitably accompanies the summer break, it will ultimately be the track that delivers the final verdict on who has produced the strongest package — and who, instead, will be left playing catch-up.
It is precisely this widespread sense of uncertainty that opens the door to all kinds of bold predictions, as the countdown begins to the first on-track running, just over two weeks away in Barcelona.
Charles Leclerc will claim his first title with Ferrari
The Monegasque driver is heading into his eighth season with Ferrari and still finds himself without a world title, while others from his generation — such as Max Verstappen and Lando Norris — already have one to their name.
Leclerc now stands at a pivotal crossroads in his career and has made it clear that 2026 will represent a point of no return.
It will therefore be crucial for Ferrari to arrive on the grid with an SF-26 capable of fighting consistently for podiums and victories — unlike last season’s failed project.
Audi or Cadillac to win a race in their debut season
Both will be making their outright Formula 1 debut, with Audi having completed its takeover of Sauber and inheriting its infrastructure and workforce, while Cadillac will enter the championship with a project built entirely from the ground up.
For that reason, it is difficult at this stage to picture either outfit producing a car capable of fighting at the front straight away, even though the new regulations allow everyone to dream — at least until the cars are finally seen running on track.
Isack Hadjar will outperform Max Verstappen at Red Bull
Perhaps the boldest prediction of them all, given the crushing head-to-head record the Dutchman has enjoyed against pretty much all of his recent team-mates in recent years — the latest being Yuki Tsunoda, who also ended up out of a seat.
Hadjar, for his part, delivered a very strong rookie campaign, capped off by a podium at Zandvoort as the icing on the cake. On top of that, the Frenchman could benefit from the reset brought by the new regulations, with everyone forced to adapt to a completely new driving style.
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