Lando Norris (McLaren)
All eyes will be on the reigning 2025 champ, who has shown strong pace in his new car. The Briton, 26, will have fond memories of the season-opening GP venue, having beaten Max Verstappen last year, to mark the start of a fine rivalry.
423 pts, 7 wins and 18 podium finishes last season
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
With a 3rd-place finish in the table last season, Piastri, 24, has shown that he can better his partner for pace. The Aussie is looking to get off with a win in home GP and has promised to give his “absolute best.”
410 pts, 8 wins, and 16 podiums last season
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
The four-time world champ missed out on his fifth title last season by just two points, and being among the biggest critics of the new 2026 car regulations means he’s angry too.
421 points, 8 wins, and 15 podiums last season
George Russell (Mercedes)
With Mercedes showing strong pace in pre-season testing, Russell, is being touted as the favourite. And he insists his new car “has a lot of potential,” meaning he’s confident of excelling in that hot seat.
319 points, 2 wins, and nine podium finishes last season
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Leclerc has had very impressive straight-line speeds in pre-season testing. Also, the Ferraris cars made very fast starts off the testing grid in Bahrain, while their rivals seemed slower.
242 points and 7 podium finishes last season
