Predicting the Formula 1 Drivers’ or Constructors’ Championship winner for the 2026 season is not as straightforward as in previous years, courtesy of a long list of regulation changes, including a full remake of the cars. They’re now more compact, lighter, snappier, and will use the all-new overtake mode rather than the familiar DRS.

Needless to say, the early sentiment – much like when the ground-effect era rules first came into play – is that Mercedes are ahead of the pack in terms of expectations. Market sentiment backs that up too, with many major betting providers, pundits, and even general audiences suggesting that if they really had to put money on the line, they’d probably pick George Russell.