For the primary time in a decade there are 11 groups on the grid for the brand new Components 1 season.
Most of them have unchanged line-ups as they head right into a season of radically new technical rules. Solely newcomers Cadillac and the 2 Crimson Bull groups provide factors of distinction in comparison with final season.
Lando Norris’s success final yr means the variety of champions on the grid has risen to 4, whereas two grand prix winners have returned at Cadillac. However which staff on the expanded grid has the strongest driver line-up?
McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
This driver pairing delivered consecutive constructors’ championships for McLaren over the past two seasons. Each had wobbles in the course of the course of final season – Lando Norris early within the yr, Oscar Piastri after his dire weekend in Baku. However the frequency with which they certified inside hundredths of a second of one another indicated they frequently extracted the very best from McLaren’s automotive.
Mercedes: George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli
George Russell confirmed he had the potential to be a staff chief along with his more and more spectacular performances alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. He stepped up following the seven-times champion’s departure final yr and gained twice within the few occasions the place Mercedes appeared like real contenders for victory. Newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli misplaced his manner at mid-season as Mercedes launched a suspension improve which neither driver preferred, however ended the yr with a run of robust outcomes together with a outstanding run from seventeenth to the rostrum at Las Vegas (after penalties).
Crimson Bull: Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar
Max Verstappen’s qualities communicate for themselves; he nearly denied the McLaren drivers the championship final yr regardless of his automotive being plainly inferior on many events. However because the ‘floor impact period’ progressed Crimson Bull discovered it more and more troublesome to pair him with a driver who might obtain respectable leads to their automotive: Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda had been disbursed with in little over 12 months. Will Isack Hadjar, the newest product of Crimson Bull’s junior programme, sink or swim?
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Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
By way of uncooked numbers, Lewis Hamilton is the best Components 1 driver of all time, with extra grand prix victories than anybody, and matched solely by Michael Schumacher on seven world championship victories. However he seldom appeared on the peak of his powers in the course of the ‘floor impact period’, significantly final yr, as he laboured to familiarize yourself with an unfamiliar Ferrari after 11 years at Mercedes. Charles Leclerc frequently demonstrated he’s a possible champion in ready, nonetheless.
Williams: Carlos Sainz Jnr and Alexander Albon
Ferrari outcast Carlos Sainz Jnr made the staff’s choice to drop him look silly greater than as soon as final yr, significantly as he took Williams to a pair of podiums. These had been the staff’s greatest outcomes of the yr, although Alexander Albon collected extra factors than his new staff mate. Both manner, that is clearly Williams’ greatest driver line-up for a very long time.
Racing Bulls: Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad
Crimson Bull’s second staff typically fields the least skilled driver line-up within the championship and this yr is not any exception. Liam Lawson lastly competed in a full season final yr, although Crimson Bull demoted him from their prime staff after simply two appearances, whereas Arvid Lindblad makes the step up from Components 2, desirous to make the type of impression Hadjar did final yr.
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Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
Aston Martin are regarded by many as darkish horses for this yr’s championship, however have they got a driver line-up which might ship? Fernando Alonso has misplaced little of his zeal for competitors within the 20 years since his final championship win, however he’s had the beating of staff mate Lance Stroll so simply for the final three years you need to doubt he’s being severely examined.
Audi: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto
As Sauber turns into Audi, the German producer has opted to maintain one in all Components 1’s most skilled drivers in Nico Hulkenberg, who lastly scored his first podium end with an excellent efficiency at Silverstone final yr. Gabriel Bortoleto additionally will get a second season after a debut season wherein he impressively out-qualified his veteran staff mate.
Haas: Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman
Haas are additionally heading into their second season after introducing an all-new driver line-up. Esteban Ocon began the season effectively however Oliver Bearman improved rapidly in his rookie marketing campaign and his drive to fourth place in Mexico was probably the most excellent midfield performances of the yr.
Alpine: Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto
Though Alpine switched off their 2025 improvement programme sooner than most groups – maybe all of them – Pierre Gasly was nonetheless making forays into Q3 on the finish of the season. Franco Colapinto had a more durable time of it after becoming a member of mid-season for the second yr in a row however will get pleasure from starting his first full marketing campaign with ample expertise and testing this yr.
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Cadillac: Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas
New entrants Cadillac correctly opted to rent probably the most skilled driver line-up obtainable to them. Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are previous grand prix winners and championship runners-up. Collectively they’ve began over 500 grands prix and shared groups with two of probably the most formidable opponents in F1 at the moment: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
I say
Final yr I picked Ferrari’s duo because the strongest pairing on the grid. How does the opposition stack up towards them now?
At Crimson Bull, Verstappen appeared peerless at occasions final yr, but it surely’s far too quickly to say Hadjar is prone to carry out higher than his predecessors. At McLaren, each drivers appeared susceptible at completely different factors throughout final season and surrendered too many factors to Verstappen. As for Mercedes, Antonelli continues to be an excessive amount of of an unknown amount.
There’s little doubt Hamilton’s 2025 marketing campaign was his least convincing to this point. For his critics, it was definitive proof he’s a spent power.
However I’m cautious of writing him off simply but. I might nonetheless decide Ferrari’s line-up as the very best on the grid, however by a slender margin forward of McLaren.
You say
Which staff do you suppose has the very best driver line-up for 2026? Solid your vote beneath and have your say within the feedback.
Which Components 1 staff has the very best driver line-up for 2025?
Cadillac: Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas (3%)
Alpine: Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto (0%)
Haas: Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman (0%)
Audi: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto (0%)
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll (3%)
Racing Bulls: Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad (0%)
Williams: Carlos Sainz Jnr and Alexander Albon (0%)
Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (19%)
Crimson Bull: Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar (11%)
Mercedes: George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli (8%)
McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (57%)
Whole Voters: 37
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