F1 2026: Predictions from the Sky Sports F1 team for Australian GP podiums, world champions, race winners, driver surprises | F1 News

Is it George Russell’s favorite writer’s year? Can McLaren see off rivals for a hat-trick of constructors’ titles? Will more drivers win the race than these four in 2025?

At least others pre-season talks to stop when the stopwatch in the championship game starts in Melbourne this weekend, it’s almost time to find out who really wants the start of a new season of sport.

So just before that, and for fun, we met seven members of the group Sky Sports F1 and asked them to look into their crystal balls for some predictions ahead of the first round of the 24-race campaign…

What will be the 1-2-3 finishing order for this Sunday’s Australian GP?

Martin Brundle: Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri.

Simon Lazenby: George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton.

Natalie Pinkham: Lando Norris, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton.

David Croft: George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris.

Karun Chandhok: George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris.

Rachel Brookes: George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli.

Anthony Davidson: George Russell, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris.

How many drivers will win the Grand Prix in 2026?

Simon: Five.

Crofty: Eighth.

I will go ahead because there are many opportunities for racing and racing and the drivers must learn the race by races and even for drivers with extensive experience there is a lot to be done. So I’ll say eight, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we had a ninth or 10th in there as well.

Rachel: Ten.

Every track will be very different in terms of power management. But I think at the beginning of the year, we will see a lot of different drivers winning races. I think by the end of the year, they will all be on it. I think we can have 10 different winners.

Anthony: Seven.

Karun: Five.

Natalie: Eighth.

Martin: More than normal because I think it’s going to be crazy. At least six.

Who will win the 2026 Drivers’ Championship?

Natalie: George Russell.

Crofty: George can face many difficulties but he also knows the preparations he will need to make for each race and he is ready to do it.

So George Russell, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar. George will be the favorite but I think Lando and Oscar and Max are getting close.

Martin: George Russell.

Karun: George Russell.

Rachel: George Russell. He will be pushed all the way, but I think George will win.

Anthony: George Russell. I think he seems to have started off on the right foot. The car is fast enough to sit there now, rather than the odd performance that was good enough and ready to win a world championship.

Simon: George Russell. I think he is ready and will have the drive to do it.

Who will win the 2026 Constructors’ Championship?

Simon: Mercedes.

Natalie: Ferrari.

Martin: McLaren.

Crofty: The strongest driver line pairing is likely McLaren. I’d be surprised if McLaren aren’t constructors’ champions but it can come down to the wire and every point is precious. So McLaren as the constructors’ champion but if Kimi Antonelli drives like he did at times last year, Mercedes might stop.

Rachel: Mercedes.

Karun: McLaren.

Anthony: The top four are incredibly strong. Mercedes have a really strong chance. You can’t count out McLaren. Everyone is very surprised by what Red Bull has achieved so quickly, so they will improve quickly as the season goes on. The Ferrari looked really fast in Bahrain.

The two McLaren drivers are evenly matched in almost every circuit in every condition, I think that gives you as a constructor a lot of power, so their knowledge of the driver pairing can be something that gives them that little advantage over the course of the season, with everything that is going to be thrown at you.

Make one BOLD prediction for the season?

Karun: Haas to find their first platform.

Simon: Isack Hadjar to win the race.

Anthony: Kimi Antonelli wins the World Championship.

Natalie: Hadjar will be on the podium for the first half of the season.

Which race are you looking forward to?

Anthony: Melbourne. It’s that step that is unknown to many teams and fans.

I’m excited to see if everything we know about these cars in these early stages will show up in Melbourne and deliver incredible wheel-to-wheel racing.

Natalie: Japan because I haven’t been at a race since September!

Simon: I always look forward to Melbourne, this year more than anything. On Saturday in Melbourne, all the talk stops and we go and you’re like, ‘okay, this is where we are, here’s the first recording order’.”

Crofty: Silverstone – Best track, best fans, best place to be in Britain in summer. It’s a circuit that comes alive when F1 is on.

Rachel: Australia. I can’t wait to see these cars go well this year and see for myself what all the teams have been working on because it’s always a complete unknown.

Karun: The British doctor and George, Lando and Lewis are all in a fight.

Martin: Next!

Will Cadillac score its first points – and where – during its first year?

Martin: The irony is, I think it could be early in the season, so let’s say China.

Anthony: If they are going to do it, it will come from honesty, which should be their main focus. They have two incredibly experienced drivers, so that will help.

Let’s say they get their first points in Montreal.

Natalie: Austin.

Simon: Yes. There will be some weirdness – whether it’s weather related or otherwise. But I don’t think they will do it with pure speed. I think it will need something special in the first half of the season, especially.

Karun: No.

Rachel: Yes. In Brazil because I think it will take too long.

I’m not sure if they’ll get the point, but if they do, it’ll be a wet race with mixed conditions, all sorts going on, and it’s going to be Brazil, as Kevin Magnussen did with Haas when he put it on pole that year, I think it’s going to be a completely mixed race, mixed conditions, and they’re going to take advantage of things going their way.

Crofty: They can get their first points in Australia but I will say China because if you play well on your tires in China it pays dividends and China will treat the teams and drivers very badly because it is a Sprint weekend. And it might rain in China, which would be a great balance.

What will be the surprise/shock of the season?

Crofty: Oliver Bearman will hit the field. He is a special talent and I think Haas is in a really good place, so I will be very surprised by Ollie Bearman. Big shock – Fernando Alonso says he will continue racing in 2027.

Rachel: Pierre Gasly on the podium this season.

Martin: Aston Martin is going the way of negative shocks. As far as good shocks go, probably the Alpine.

Australian GP schedule for Sky Sports F1

Thursday March 5
3am: Drivers’ Press Conference
6am: Paddock Uncut
9.45pm: F3 Practice
10.55pm: F2 Practice

Tuesday March 6
1am: Australian GP Practice One (session starts at 1.30am)*
2.55am: F3 Qualifying*
3.30am: Team Leaders Conference
3.50am: F2 Qualifying*
4.35am: Australian GP Practice Two (session starts at 5am)*
6.15am: The F1 Show*

Saturday March 7
0.10am: F3 Sprint*
1.10am: Australian GP Practice Three (session starts at 1.30am)*
3.05am: F2 Sprint*
4.10am: Competence building for Australian doctors*
5am: AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING*
7am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
9.45pm: F3 Feature Race*

Sunday March 8
12.20am: F2 Feature Race*
2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Sunday’s Grand Prix*
4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*
6am: Australian GP reaction: Checkered Flag*
7am: Ted book*
7.55am: Australian GP replay*
10am: Australian GP highlights (also on Sky One)*

*Also on Sky Sports Main Event

Watch every race of the 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports, starting with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8. Stream Sky Sports NOW – no contract, cancel anytime