A number of young stars are coming through the ranks at the moment, and with several hotly tipped to join F1 in the future, I've taken a look at trying to predict the 2026 F1 grid. Many of the current names will remain but plenty new faces are likely to show up! For the purposes of this prediction I've added two new teams; Andretti Autosport and Hitech Grand Prix.
Let's jump straight in. I'd predict for starters than Andretti will be powered by Alpine/Renault, while Hitech will partner with Honda. Onto the drivers!
Red Bull Racing - Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson
📸 Max Verstappen
Unsurprisingly, Max Verstappen will be the top name at Red Bull with current 2 time world champion contracted through to the end of 2026. The Dutchman will be will turn 28 in 2026 and will be the firm leader of the team as he enters his 11th year of F1.
📸 Liam Lawson has tested and been involved in FP1 for Red Bull.
Liam Lawson is highly anticipated to join the F1 grid in 2024 with Alpha Tauri after he completes a year in the Super Formula series, which is based in Japan. If he continues on his promising junior series career, Lawson would find himself teammates with Verstappen after two seasons with Alpha Tauri.
Ferrari - Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
📸 Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari could be running a star studded line up for 2026 with Monaco's Charles Leclerc partnering what would then be a 41 year old Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton and Ferrari would be a match made in heaven, with the 103-time race winner linking up with the Maranello team in hope of becoming the first Englishman to race for Ferrari since Nigel Mansell in 1990. At 41, he'd hope to still be competitive enough to challenge for wins and podiums. Anything Fernando Alonso can do...
📸 Lewis Hamilton v Charles Leclerc, equal machinery. We all want to see it.
Leclerc of course would continue his affiliation, ideally having won at least one championship by then.
Mercedes - George Russell and Esteban Ocon
📸 Future Mercedes stalwart, George Russell.
George Russell is likely to be in that seat for a long, long time. Having worked so hard with Williams to get to Mercedes, the British driver will hope to have added to his single race win as he becomes leader of the Brackley team.
📸 Ocon will also want to add to his 1 F1 win to date.
Ocon, who is managed by Toto Wolff steps into the team as the second driver, aiming to be more than just 'George's teammate', as Mercedes seek to reach the top again in F1.
McLaren Racing - Oscar Piastri and Alex Palou
📸 2023 rookie, Oscar Piastri.
You can't argue with stats, Oscar Piastri has the potential to go right to the very top. 2026 will mark the Australian's third year in F1, and possibly the year he becomes the leader of the team. By 2026, he'll hope his switch will be paying off and McLaren can provide and strong car for him to pick up podiums in papaya.
📸 2021 IndyCar champion, Alex Palou.
Joining Piastri could be current IndyCar star Alex Palou. Palou is the team's current reserve driver as he seeks the license points for racing in F1 full time. By 2026 Palou will be fancying being ready for a switch to McLaren where he'll hope to challenge his teammate and fight for podiums.
Alpine - Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan
📸 Pierre Gasly.
Already a big name in F1, Gasly will be the firm leader of the Alpine team as he partners Jack Doohan.
📸 Jack Doohan, one to watch.
Doohan is on a current strong upwards trajectory as he seeks to make it to F1 as soon as possible. Doohan could be a fully fledged F1 driver already by 2026 with rumours Williams could run the Australian if they were to change engine supplier, but will almost certainly be an Alpine driver by at least 2026.
Aston Martin - Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz
📸 Lance has claimed 3 career podiums so far.
Stroll's place is almost certainly guaranteed at Aston Martin for as long as he has an interest in being there. Much maligned and with fans very 'Marmite' on whether they love or hate him, like him or not(and I certainly like him, he's a nice guy!), he's here to stay. 2026 would be his 9th year in F1!
📸 Carlos Sainz, unintentionally following Fernando's footsteps.
Joining Stroll could be Carlos Sainz, who is due to run out of contract by the end of 2024. Sainz has an uncanny knack of joining teams that Fernando Alonso has raced for, so why not Aston Martin?
Haas - Yuki Tsunoda and Oliver Bearman
📸 Tsunoda at Silverstone.
Yuki Tsunoda is a very impressive driver but I can't see him being retained by the Red Bull family past 2025. Haas would be a good destination for him, where he could potentially lead a team for the first time.
📸 Ollie Bearman in his PREMA car.
His teammate would be young Ferrari driver Oliver 'Ollie' Bearman, who could find himself shipped out by the Maranello team for experience before replacing fellow Brit Hamilton at Ferrari when he does eventually step away from F1.
Audi - Mick Schumacher and Theo Pourchaire
📸 German team, German driver.
The new Audi(replacing Alfa Romeo/Sauber) team will make no secret of their desire to have a German driver in their ranks, and will almost definitely move for current Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher. Schumacher will be the team leader as he returns to the grid, looking to prove Haas and Ferrari wrong, having both let him go.
📸 Sauber Junior driver Theo Pourchaire.
He'll be joined at Audi by Theo Pourchaire, who I suspect will already be a part of the team, given his ties to Sauber. Currently in his third year of F2 and not yet 20, he's got a bright future.
Alpha Tauri - Zane Maloney and Isack Hadjar
📸 The first Bajan to race in F1?
Another team expected to have a name change, Alpha Tauri will again keep their tie to Red Bull trying to promote from within. They could be running two academy products in 2026 in the shape of Barbados driver Zane Maloney and French raced Isack Hadjar.
📸 The rapid Isack Hadjar.
Both drivers have been blessed with tremendous natural speed, not dissimilar to that of Verstappen, and Hamilton and look set to soon test F1 machinery soon as they embark on their rookie years in F2 with Carlin and Hitech respectively. Ones to watch.
Williams Racing - Logan Sargeant and Franco Colapinto
📸 Sargeant on the F2 podium.
2026 could be Logan Sargeant's third F1 season and first as a team leader for the American. He's looked good in his first two outings for the Grove team, and he'll hope to keep that up.
📸 I can't be the only one who think Franco has an uncanny resemblance to the late, great Ayrton Senna?
Franco Colapinto lining up with Sargeant would be a proud moment for the team as they would have two academy products as teammates for the first ever time. Argentine Colapinto however, will have to prove he's more Fangio than Tuero first as he works his way up the formula ladder.
Andretti Autosport - Colton Herta and Lando Norris
📸 Herta has been tipped for an F1 seat previously, and Andretti's involvement will certainly open doors for him.
As an American team, Andretti will want an American driver and will look no further than Colton Herta. Currently racing in IndyCar and previously linked to Sauber, McLaren and Alpha Tauri seats, Herta will at last race in F1, as America's headline act in F1, given the following he already has amassed.
📸 Could Andretti sway Lando to join their exciting project?
Andretti's second signing will also be a marquee signing as they buy out the remaining years on the contract of Lando Norris as they look for experience, skill and entertainment to their team. It's a long shot, but the new Andretti team could be worth the gamble to switch from McLaren.
Hitech Grand Prix
📸 Could Alex Albon be the man to lead Hitech's F1 entry?
Already established in F2 and F3, Hitech will be an attractive option for drivers, but will look close to home for their team. Step forward Alex Albon, who'll bring good experience and passion to the team as leader of the squad.
📸 Alex Dunne has made a habit of winning in single seaters, and if he keeps it up: he'll quickly move up the formula ladder to F1.
Alongside side Alex will be another Alex, this time in the shape of Alex Dunne. The young Irishman will debut in 2026 alongside Albon, having continued his great form in single seaters this far, breaking records in British F4, now racing in GB3. Provided he keeps moving the way he is now, Dunne - who has been in the Hitech ranks for over 2 years - will be one to watch when does arrive on the scene, presumably helped through F2 and F3 level by Hitech there too.
Watch this space! Thanks for reading!
📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, Alex Dunne Racing, Oracle Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Alpha Tauri, Williams Racing, NTT IndyCar Series, Ferrari.
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