With the 2025 season kicking off in , one would naturally assume that all eyes would be turned on the season ahead and the race this weekend.
However, there is already speculation about the 2026 grid. With the arrival of two new teams and exciting young drivers emerging out of , perhaps it’s only natural to be discussing next season already.
Not only will there be a milestone in regulation changes with a whole new aerodynamic system and power unit, it will also . That's after Cadillac were officially approved to join the fray earlier this month.
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There's certainly no time to rest on your laurels in F1 and team bosses will already be plotting their next moves. With that in mind, here’s what we know about the 2026 lineup so far...
The Scuderia have dominated the headlines for the past few months in the buildup to the 2025 season. With the arrival of the seven-time champion , plenty of focus has been placed on the team and how his relationship with Charles Leclerc will unfold.
Ferrari finished second in the 2024 constructors' championship and will strive for a first-place finish within the next few seasons. It’s only natural to expect that there may have to be time given to Hamilton to adjust to a new team after 12 years at .
So, if the 2025 season is treated as a ‘settling in’ season, then all effort will be directed towards victory in 2026. Hamilton is reportedly committed to the team on a two-year deal, meaning 2026 could well be his last shot at F1 glory, so he will certainly be eager to leave his mark in his last year.
Leclerc is ever increasingly closing in on his first championship, finishing second in 2022 and third in 2024. He has the long-term backing of his team after signing a multi-year contract extension in 2024.
have been the most successful team over the past few years, with heading into the 2025 season aiming for his fifth championship in a row. While Verstappen is confirmed with the team until 2028, the second spot remains unconfirmed for 2026.
Liam Lawson will have his sights set on the place but will certainly need to impress the team this year. His contract with Red Bull is only for the 2025 season, so the pressure will be on.
They finished third in the 2024 constructors' championship and have always had problems with their second driver over the years, with Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon both struggling before Sergio Perez, so in the next few seasons, team principal Christian Horner will be aiming to break the curse.
McLarenMcLaren will enter the 2026 season with a fully confirmed lineup. The team consists of two of the most exciting drivers on the grid in Australian Oscar Piastri and Brit Lando Norris, who took the team to the constructors' championship in 2024.
The next step is making one of their drivers world champion within the next few years. Norris is confirmed with the team until 2027 and Piastri has signed a multi-year extension ahead of his home Grand Prix this weekend.
As it stands, Mercedes currently have no confirmed drivers for the 2026 season. George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli both have contracts that expire at the end of the 2025 season. Russell will presumably be offered a contract extension after impressive performances in 2024 for the Silver Arrows, but he'll need to keep it up this year.
Eighteen-year-old Antonelli enters the grid after finishing sixth in F2 last season with two race victories and three podiums. The next few years for Mercedes will potentially see them challenge for podiums and, with good young talent, aim to return to the top of the sport.
Aston MartinAston Martin have been stuck as a mid-table team within the grid but have big ambitions to push on and begin to challenge for podiums and potentially titles within the next decade. For the 2026 season, both drivers are confirmed.
Fernando Alonso’s contract will see him stay with the team until the end of next year. Owner Lawrence Stroll has recruited top talent behind the scenes, including the renowned aero dynamist Adrian Newey.
Lawrence's son Lance Stroll is set to remain with the team for the next few years. While Stroll has struggled at points in his career, there is promise for him to gain confidence and challenge for podiums potentially in 2026.
AlpineFor the past couple of seasons, Alpine have become a rather patriotic outfit, with both drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly coming from France and representing the only French team on the grid. After Ocon's departure to Haas, Gasly is the only remaining Frenchman.
Ocon's replacement, 22-year-old Jack Doohan, has joined the team on a one-year contract. After finishing third in F2 in 2023, the Aussie has been Alpine's reserve driver for the past two seasons.
But there's already doubts about his position after Franco Colapinto was signed to take his reserve position. In 2026, Alpine will undergo a technical overhaul, and the aim for the next two seasons is to finish within the top five - which Gasly described as an “achievable” goal.
Haas, like most other teams, are already planning for 2026 with the 2025 season not yet even underway. After a challenging few years on the grid with a few problematic drivers, they've committed to two drivers that could very well take them to challenging for a top-half finish.
Young British driver Oliver Bearman has been given a multi-year contract, confirming his place on the grid in 2026. Bearman raced three times in F1 last season, once for Ferrari and twice for Haas.
He finished 18th in the constructor's championship with seven points. He will be supported by one-time race winner Ocon. Haas are aiming to become a more independent team, but they will remain a Ferrari customer in 2026.
WilliamsWilliams have been very honest about their intent for the next few seasons and stated they are willing to compromise 2025 to adequately prepare for 2026. Alonso even stated they are one to watch in 2026 when the new regulation changes are introduced.
The team has committed to Carlos Sainz and Albon, two experienced drivers who both have a point to prove. Even if 2025 is a difficult season, we could be expecting big things from Williams in 2026.
The Red Bull feeder team have no confirmed drivers for 2026. Last year's F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda comprise the team for 2025.
The focus for next year is to further advance through the midfield rankings and develop the youth. With doubts over Tsunoda, it wouldn’t be surprising if a new young driver completed the team in 2026.
AudiAudi are one of two brand-new Formula One teams entering the grid in 2026, replacing Kick Sauber (formerly Alfa Romeo). The confirmed drivers are veteran Niko Hulkenberg and Brazilian Gabriel Bortoletto.
They're developing their own power unit and are aiming to be a competitive supplier from 2026. While they want to become a permanent part of the grid for decades to come, the goal is to become competitive within five years, so the 2026 season will be about testing what works for the team and adjusting to life on the grid.
CadillacThe 2026 season will feature an 11th team on the grid for the first time in a decade. On March 7, it was announced that Cadillac had been permitted to join the Formula One grid, taking the number of teams up to 11 and drivers up to 22.
Team principal Graeme Lowdon has been quoted saying that “hiring on merit and having a US driver are entirely compatible objectives for the team”. So, with this understanding, we know for a fact at least one of the two drivers will be American.
Colton Herta is widely tipped as the most viable option having finished second in the American Indycar series last year. Names that have been floated around to fill the second spot are Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.