Corinthian Sports Predictions: 2026 Formula 1 Season

The 2026 Formula 1 season is officially in motion, with pre-season testing lighting up Bahrain and giving the world its first real look at a new era of the sport. But instead of confidence and clarity, the early narrative has been defined by uncertainty.

New regulations have reshaped the grid, altered car behaviour, and disrupted the familiar balance of performance, and the reactions from drivers have been anything but reassuring. Feedback has been mixed, frustrations have already surfaced, and more than a few teams appear to be wrestling with concepts that don’t yet feel race-ready. It’s a paddock searching for answers rather than celebrating solutions.

Rather than establishing a clear pecking order, testing has raised more questions than it’s answered. Who has truly mastered the regulations? Who’s hiding their pace? And who’s already playing catch-up before a single race has been run? The margins feel tighter, the uncertainty feels heavier, and the championship picture feels more open than it has in years.

With a season that already looks unpredictable, unstable and full of potential surprises, one thing is clear: this could be a year defined by chaos, change and shifting power dynamics. And with that uncertainty comes opportunity.

So as the lights prepare to go out on a brand-new campaign, here’s what the team at Corinthian are predicting for the Formula 1 season ahead!

Ferrari testing in Bahrain
Source: here

Corinthian Sports Employees Predictions:

Alfie Collison – Senior Business Development Director

“When you ask me what I make of the new regulations, I actually think they’ve made the sport far more unpredictable, and that should naturally lead to closer racing. Looking at pre-season testing, I see Mercedes and Ferrari as the early winners, especially Ferrari with their different rear wing concept compared to everyone else, while Aston Martin stand out as early losers for me.

Adrian Newey is obviously a genius, but taking on the team principal role feels like too much to balance. I don’t believe this will be Max Verstappen’s last year in Formula 1 at all. I think he’s on a path to becoming the greatest of all time.

The rookie I’m most excited to watch is Arvid Lindblad, becoming the youngest F1 driver will be fascinating and I’m really interested to see how he thrives at this level. When it comes to the best driver line-up going forward, I’d say McLaren, two world-class drivers in their prime is hard to beat. As for the Lewis Hamilton debate, I won’t even entertain that question, and in the GOAT conversation, for me Max will become the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time because he has the most raw talent the sport has ever seen.

Drivers’ Champion: George Russell (Max Verstappen close second)

Constructors’ Champion – Ferrari

Source: F1

Andy Cooke – Head of Digital Marketing

“When it comes to the new regulations, I’m hopeful they’ll make racing more exciting and competitive, but it’s still too early to properly judge. Some drivers have already said it feels like it takes away from the driver and puts more emphasis on technology, which is an interesting shift.

From pre-season testing, Ferrari looked strong, especially the engine, and I think Mercedes may be sandbagging and holding something back. On the flip side, Aston Martin looked a long way off the pace, around one to two seconds behind, and Williams didn’t look particularly strong either.

I don’t think this will be Max Verstappen’s last year in Formula 1, but if the regulations don’t deliver and Red Bull fall behind, I could see him leaving the sport in the next couple of years.

The rookie I’m most excited to watch is Arvid Lindblad, he’s dominated F3 and F2, waited a long time for his opportunity, and I think he’s going to do really well. Looking ahead at the strongest driver line-up, I think Ferrari with Leclerc and Hamilton is the best pairing if the engine is as strong as it looked. Lewis Hamilton, for me, is a seven-time world champion, because over the 2023 season Max was the best driver and deserved that title.

In the GOAT debate, I put Max Verstappen in the top three of all time, alongside Schumacher and Senna.

Drivers’ Champion: Charles Leclerc

Constructors’ Champion: Ferrari or McLaren

Source: F1

Olivia – Operations & Events Manager

“I don’t think this will be Max Verstappen’s last year in Formula 1, even though last year could have been the moment for him to walk away. Red Bull couldn’t get the car in the right window quickly enough and it took him time to adapt, especially with all the internal Christian Horner drama going on.

On the Lewis Hamilton debate, he is a seven-time world champion, he didn’t win in 2023, and while you can argue he deserved it, he didn’t win it. From what I’ve seen in testing, I think Mercedes look strong, with Russell and Antonelli offering consistency across the season.

For the Drivers’ title, I’m being biased and saying Max, but realistically I think it could be one of the McLaren drivers. The rookie I’m most looking forward to watching is Hadjar in the new Red Bull car, and looking at the wider future of the sport, Audi’s investment makes things interesting because they’re such a big name in motorsport, but even with all that money going in, I don’t think they’ll be immediately successful in Formula 1.

Drivers’ Champion: Max Verstappen or McLaren driver

Constructors’ Champion: Mercedes

Source: here

Simon Gray – Sales & Marketing Director

“When I look at the new regulations, the biggest risk for me is the increased use of battery power, because it means drivers may be forced to drive below the limit for longer than we’ve seen before. The cars look fast on the straights, which is great for racing, but slower through the corners, and that changes the whole dynamic of how drivers attack a lap.

From pre-season testing, it’s still difficult to tell too much, but Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all look strong, while Aston Martin look like they’ve got work to do. Haas are one to watch, and the newcomers Audi clearly have a lot of development ahead of them. I don’t think this will be Max Verstappen’s last year in Formula 1.

The rookie I’m most looking forward to watching is Arvid. When it comes to the best driver line-up, if we’re talking 2026, on paper McLaren look strong with an experienced pairing and a world champion in the mix, although Ferrari could still surprise. Lewis Hamilton, for me, is a seven-time world champion, that’s what history says. In the GOAT debate, Max Verstappen is right up there as a generational talent, and I genuinely think we’ll see him winning in other racing categories in the years to come.

Drivers’ Champion: George Russell

Constructors’ Champion: Mercedes

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