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F1 2026 So Far: New Rules, a Teenage Leader and a Mercedes Revival
F1 & Motorsport

F1 2026 So Far: New Rules, a Teenage Leader and a Mercedes Revival

Smaller cars, near 50/50 hybrid power and an 11th team. With five rounds left, here is what the new era has delivered.

MAN TARGET EditorsOctober 31, 2026 4 min read

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Formula 1 rewrote its rulebook for 2026, and the result has been a season of firsts: a 20-year-old championship leader, Cadillac on the grid, Audi in its own colours and a calendar reshaped by world events. After the United States Grand Prix in Austin on 25 October, round 18, five races remain, and the title can be settled in Mexico City this weekend.

What changed under the bodywork

  • Power units: the MGU-H is gone and electrical power rises sharply, bringing the split between combustion engine and battery close to 50/50.
  • Fuel: every car now runs on fully sustainable fuel.
  • Active aerodynamics: movable front and rear wings switch between a high-downforce corner mode and a low-drag straight-line mode. DRS is gone; an electrical overtaking boost takes its place.
  • Size and weight: the cars are narrower, with a shorter wheelbase and a lower minimum weight than in 2025.
  • New names: Cadillac became the 11th team, Audi took over Sauber, Ford returned as Red Bull's power-unit partner and Honda moved to Aston Martin.

The standings after Austin

Mercedes read the new rules best: its drivers have won 12 of 18 Grands Prix. Kimi Antonelli has nine wins and 365 points, 123 clear of teammate George Russell on 242. Behind them the fight for second is fierce: Lewis Hamilton has 241, Max Verstappen 236 and Charles Leclerc 233. In the constructors' table Mercedes (607) leads Ferrari (474), with Red Bull and McLaren tied on 355.

New rules rarely produce equal cars. They reward the team that understands them first, and in 2026 that team was Mercedes.
Narrower, lighter and partly electric: the 2026 car is a new species.
Narrower, lighter and partly electric: the 2026 car is a new species.

Five storylines

  • Antonelli clinches the title in Mexico City with a top-nine finish, and would become the youngest world champion in the sport's history.
  • Hamilton won his first Grand Prix for Ferrari in Barcelona in June; Leclerc won at Silverstone in July.
  • Verstappen won back-to-back in October, at Sepang and then Singapore.
  • The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds were dropped from their spring dates amid regional conflict; the Bahrain Grand Prix was later staged at Sepang, Malaysia.
  • Reigning champion Lando Norris has won twice, in Hungary and the Netherlands.

Still to come

After Mexico City on 1 November come Brazil (8 November), Las Vegas (21 November), Qatar (29 November) and the Abu Dhabi finale on 6 December. Even if the drivers' crown is decided early, the four-way fight for second place and the Red Bull versus McLaren duel for third in the constructors' standings should run to the final lap.

Key takeaways

  • After the US GP, Kimi Antonelli leads on 365 points and needs just two more to clinch.
  • Mercedes has won 12 of 18 Grands Prix; Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have two each.
  • The 2026 cars are smaller and lighter, with near 50/50 hybrid power and active aerodynamics.
  • Cadillac joined as the 11th team and Audi took over Sauber.
#formula-1#motorsport#F1 2026#Mercedes#Kimi Antonelli

FAQ

Who is leading the F1 2026 championship?

After the United States Grand Prix, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli leads with 365 points, 123 ahead of George Russell.

What are the main F1 2026 rule changes?

New power units with close to a 50/50 combustion-electric split, fully sustainable fuel, active aerodynamics replacing DRS, and smaller, lighter cars.

How many teams are in F1 in 2026?

Eleven. Cadillac joined as a new team and Audi took over the former Sauber outfit.

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