F1, no revolution: the best remain on top
The F1 regulations introduced in 2026 have so far been a flop on multiple levels. First of all on a conceptual level, because already in 2027 corrections will be applied that will bring the balance between internal combustion and electric from the current 53%-47% to a more rational 60-40. On the transparency front, doubts were raised about the FIA’s management of the first ADUO token, which declared the Red Bull-Ford as the reference internal combustion engine (despite the obvious strength of the Mercedes power unit): the Federation did not provide any ranking among engine manufacturers, nor statements or clarifications to the media. And also on the sporting level, the technical revolution was not followed by revolutions in the grid hierarchy.
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It can be said that in F1 everything has changed except who competes for victories. The top four teams of 2025 still make up the top 4 of 2026. In fact, the gap has widened considerably: in the first 10 GPs Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren have combined for 29 podiums out of 30. The exception is Pierre Gasly in Monte Carlo, a very lucky podium made possible by a calculation error by the FOM which in fact distorted the outcome of the GP.
Expanding the discussion to the top 5, the substance does not change: besides Gasly’s podium, there is the fifth place of Oliver Bearman in the Chinese GP; again, this is a particular context, as McLarens did not start in Shanghai and Max Verstappen retired.
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In short, the more structured teams handled the regulatory revolution better. A predictable dynamic but only within certain limits: it also happened in 2022, but by the tenth race four teams had managed to get into the top 5 at least once (Alfa Romeo with Valtteri Bottas, Haas with Kevin Magnussen, AlphaTauri with Pierre Gasly and Alpine with Fernando Alonso). Aston Martin was supposed to shake things up, but the spectacular flop of Lawrence Stroll’s team paved the way for the big teams. And even if substantial improvements came in Budapest, it would be hard to imagine Alonso immediately close to the best: a 3-second step forward, which would already be sensational, would allow the Spaniard to fight for 6th-7th row, nothing more.
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