2026 F1 Thread

[Flashback]

With the 2025 season over, not as many of us had hoped and the countdown to the makeover of the cars beginning - it's time to get excited for 2026.

 

[MARTINE]

With the 2025 season over, not as many of us had hoped and the countdown to the makeover of the cars beginning - it's time to get excited for 2026.

Yeeeeeeees

 

[DejaBrew]

Stories to watch out for in 2026 that could provide some great entertainment through the season -:

1. Will Ferrari finally break free of the HHH Cycle after spending almost all of 2025 developing their 2026 car?
2. Can McLaren maintain their dominance?
3. Does the #1 help or hinder young NOR?
4. Will PIA continue his trajectory and deliver a dominant Drivers' Championship?
5. Will Papaya Rules persist or will the drivers finally rebel?
6. Has Mercedes stolen a march on the other engine manufacturers?
7. Will the RBR/Ford relationship end in tears?
8. Will VER sign to another team for 2027 (or just retire)?
9. Will HAD still be racing in RBR after the first 3 rounds of the season?
10. Has Papa Stroll finally managed to buy a Championship (a.k.a. has Newey worked his magic yet again)?
11. Will STR continue to impress us all with his mediocrity?
12. Could ALO become the oldest Champion and finally secure his 3rd title?
13. Can HAM secure that elusive 8th Championship?
14. Will we still love to hate RBR now that both Whinger Spice and Helmut the Harsh are gone?
15. Can Cadillac be competitive in their first year?
16. Will PER prove his doubters wrong after spending a year on the sidelines?
17. Will ANT repay the faith shown in him by Toto?
18. Can RUS be made to do something in the F1 opening title sequence that doesn't result in him looking like a member of a boy band and becoming an instant internet meme?
19. Will Alpine prove to their detractors that Briatore was right to buy Mercedes engines and the problem was always Viry-Châtillon?
20. Will the Atlassian Williams F1 Team return to the top step after dropping the "Racing" part of their team name so that they can focus specifically on.... um..... F1?
21. Can Mohammed ben Sulayem break his own personal record of consecutive F1 podium appearances?

All this (and more) set to play out in 2026

 

[kookaburra75]

Stories to watch out for in 2026 that could provide some great entertainment through the season -:

• Will Ferrari finally break free of the HHH Cycle after spending almost all of 2025 developing their 2026 car?
• Can McLaren maintain their dominance?
• Does the #1 help or hinder young NOR?
• Will PIA continue his trajectory and deliver a dominant Drivers' Championship?
• Will Papaya Rules persist or will the drivers finally rebel?
• Has Mercedes stolen a march on the other engine manufacturers?
• Will the RBR/Ford relationship end in tears?
• Will VER sign to another team for 2027 (or just retire)?
• Will HAD still be racing in RBR after the first 3 rounds of the season?
• Has Papa Stroll finally managed to buy a Championship (a.k.a. has Newey worked his magic yet again)?
• Will STR continue to impress us all with his mediocrity?
• Could ALO become the oldest Champion and finally secure his 3rd title?
• Can HAM secure that elusive 8th Championship?
• Will we still love to hate RBR now that both Whinger Spice and Helmut the Harsh are gone?
• Can Cadillac be competitive in their first year?
• Will PER prove his doubters wrong after spending a year on the sidelines?
• Will ANT repay the faith shown in him by Toto?
• Can RUS be made to do something in the F1 opening title sequence that doesn't result in him looking like a member of a boy band and becoming an instant internet meme?
• Will Alpine prove to their detractors that Briatore was right to buy Mercedes engines and the problem was always Viry-Châtillon?
• Will the Atlassian Williams F1 Team return to the top step after dropping the "Racing" part of their team name so that they can focus specifically on.... um..... F1?
• Can Mohammed ben Sulayem break his own personal record of consecutive F1 podium appearances?

All this (and more) set to play out in 2026

You could have at least numbered your points, so I could answered "Yes/No/Maybe" for just some of them, rather than having to quote your whole post and add comments against them all I'll leave that until later.

 

[DejaBrew]

You could have at least numbered your points, so I could answered "Yes/No/Maybe" for just some of them, rather than having to quote your whole post and add comments against them all I'll leave that until later.

Just for you @kookaburra75, I’ve fixed it

 

[MARTINE]

Stories to watch out for in 2026 that could provide some great entertainment through the season -:

1. Will Ferrari finally break free of the HHH Cycle after spending almost all of 2025 developing their 2026 car?
2. Can McLaren maintain their dominance?
3. Does the #1 help or hinder young NOR?
4. Will PIA continue his trajectory and deliver a dominant Drivers' Championship?
5. Will Papaya Rules persist or will the drivers finally rebel?
6. Has Mercedes stolen a march on the other engine manufacturers?
7. Will the RBR/Ford relationship end in tears?
8. Will VER sign to another team for 2027 (or just retire)?
9. Will HAD still be racing in RBR after the first 3 rounds of the season?
10. Has Papa Stroll finally managed to buy a Championship (a.k.a. has Newey worked his magic yet again)?
11. Will STR continue to impress us all with his mediocrity?
12. Could ALO become the oldest Champion and finally secure his 3rd title?
13. Can HAM secure that elusive 8th Championship?
14. Will we still love to hate RBR now that both Whinger Spice and Helmut the Harsh are gone?
15. Can Cadillac be competitive in their first year?
16. Will PER prove his doubters wrong after spending a year on the sidelines?
17. Will ANT repay the faith shown in him by Toto?
18. Can RUS be made to do something in the F1 opening title sequence that doesn't result in him looking like a member of a boy band and becoming an instant internet meme?
19. Will Alpine prove to their detractors that Briatore was right to buy Mercedes engines and the problem was always Viry-Châtillon?
20. Will the Atlassian Williams F1 Team return to the top step after dropping the "Racing" part of their team name so that they can focus specifically on.... um..... F1?
21. Can Mohammed ben Sulayem break his own personal record of consecutive F1 podium appearances?

All this (and more) set to play out in 2026

Will be fun to look at this in 12 months @DejaBrew
I am pretty certain STR will continue to deliver as expected though

 

[markis10]

ANT being replaced by Henry Shovlin for 2026

 

[elanshin]

Stories to watch out for in 2026 that could provide some great entertainment through the season -:

1. Will Ferrari finally break free of the HHH Cycle after spending almost all of 2025 developing their 2026 car?
2. Can McLaren maintain their dominance?
3. Does the #1 help or hinder young NOR?
4. Will PIA continue his trajectory and deliver a dominant Drivers' Championship?
5. Will Papaya Rules persist or will the drivers finally rebel?
6. Has Mercedes stolen a march on the other engine manufacturers?
7. Will the RBR/Ford relationship end in tears?
8. Will VER sign to another team for 2027 (or just retire)?
9. Will HAD still be racing in RBR after the first 3 rounds of the season?
10. Has Papa Stroll finally managed to buy a Championship (a.k.a. has Newey worked his magic yet again)?
11. Will STR continue to impress us all with his mediocrity?
12. Could ALO become the oldest Champion and finally secure his 3rd title?
13. Can HAM secure that elusive 8th Championship?
14. Will we still love to hate RBR now that both Whinger Spice and Helmut the Harsh are gone?
15. Can Cadillac be competitive in their first year?
16. Will PER prove his doubters wrong after spending a year on the sidelines?
17. Will ANT repay the faith shown in him by Toto?
18. Can RUS be made to do something in the F1 opening title sequence that doesn't result in him looking like a member of a boy band and becoming an instant internet meme?
19. Will Alpine prove to their detractors that Briatore was right to buy Mercedes engines and the problem was always Viry-Châtillon?
20. Will the Atlassian Williams F1 Team return to the top step after dropping the "Racing" part of their team name so that they can focus specifically on.... um..... F1?
21. Can Mohammed ben Sulayem break his own personal record of consecutive F1 podium appearances?

All this (and more) set to play out in 2026

You forgot about the greatest part of all. A new season of lollipopman bringing us the juicy highlights.

 

[DejaBrew]

Believe it or not, the first penalty of 2026 has already been awarded with Valtteri Bottas set to serve a 5-place grid penalty in Melbourne on his debut for Cadillac.

Racing for Sauber in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Bottas collided with Kevin Magnussen and the stewards deemed him to be at fault, handing him a grid-drop penalty. Given that he sat out the entirety of the 2025 season, Bottas' penalty has remained unserved, meaning that it will come back to haunt him on his first race back in 2026.



Interestingly, a change in the regulations means that from 2026, any driver who earns a penalty would have it wiped after 12 months have elapsed. Unfortunately for Bottas, the FIA have already confirmed that his penalty will (currently) stand as there is no mechanism to retroactively amend the penalty that was applied under the regulations at the time and that the change in regulation is intended to avoid similar anomalous situations in the future.

Two other drivers have unserved penalties hanging over their heads, with Robert Shwartzman yet to serve a five-place penalty for overtaking under yellow flags during an FP1 session at the Mexican Grand Prix, and Jenson Button yet to serve a three-place penalty for causing a collision with Pascal Wehrlein in the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix. However with Button having retired altogether from driving and Shwartzman currently racing for Prema Racing in IndyCar, chances are that neither will ever serve their penalties.

 

[mel-world]

Believe it or not, the first penalty of 2026 has already been awarded with Valtteri Bottas set to serve a 5-place grid penalty in Melbourne on his debut for Cadillac.

Racing for Sauber in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Bottas collided with Kevin Magnussen and the stewards deemed him to be at fault, handing him a grid-drop penalty. Given that he sat out the entirety of the 2025 season, Bottas' penalty has remained unserved, meaning that it will come back to haunt him on his first race back in 2026.

View attachment 485551

Interestingly, a change in the regulations means that from 2026, any driver who earns a penalty would have it wiped after 12 months have elapsed. Unfortunately for Bottas, the FIA have already confirmed that his penalty will (currently) stand as there is no mechanism to retroactively amend the penalty that was applied under the regulations at the time and that the change in regulation is intended to avoid similar anomalous situations in the future.

Two other drivers have unserved penalties hanging over their heads, with Robert Shwartzman yet to serve a five-place penalty for overtaking under yellow flags during an FP1 session at the Mexican Grand Prix, and Jenson Button yet to serve a three-place penalty for causing a collision with Pascal Wehrlein in the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix. However with Button having retired altogether from driving and Shwartzman currently racing for Prema Racing in IndyCar, chances are that neither will ever serve their penalties.

That's bonkers. You learn so much from AFF.