LBRB predicts: Something bold for the F1 season

It’s back. F1 IS BACK. After a shorter-than-standard winter break that still felt like forever, at least for us, our favourite series is back. New regulations, new cars, returning names and new faces, hopefully can expect to expect the unexpected as the season gets underway. We’ve had a go at predicting an outcome for the season each, in the hope we might actually get one right!

Alex - A Haas podium

We’ve all been waiting for it. Where Romain Grosjean, Esteban Gutierrez, Kevin Magnussen, Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin, Nico Hülkenberg and •checks notes• Pietro Fittipaldi have previously failed, Haas seem to be ever-strengthening and with Ocon & Bearman in their cars, this seems as good a time as any to end the no podium hoodoo that hovers over the team.

Bearman was seriously impressive in his rookie year, mustering a best finish of fourth (Mexico) and 13th overall, two places ahead of his vastly experienced, one time race winner teammate, Ocon. They’ve got the potential to be a deadly duo with Toyota’s technical backing and potentially, a strong Ferrari engine. All the chat is about the new American team, but maybe all eyes should be on the now-veteran Kannapolis team instead of Cadillac.

Topher - The second coming of Kimi

Much has been made about Mercedes making a return to the top in 2026. On the basis of pre-season testing, these predictions may not be far off the mark.

The general consensus is that George Russell will be the one to deliver the driver's title back to Brackley, however I'm going to go against the grain and predict that Kimi Antonelli will triumph over his more experienced teammate and become the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

It may only be Antonelli’s second season in F1, but the Italian showed exactly what he is made of during his junior career, considered by many as the next Max Verstappen. With a season now under his belt, and the prospect of a title-winning car, Antonelli has everything he needs for a sophomore title and to be the second Kimi to lift the crown.

Teagan - Kimi Antonelli to win multiple races

In pre-season testing, Kimi Antonelli has shown himself as one of the stronger drivers for 2026. Whilst he is still young and could be considered as an immature driver, he earned himself three podiums and pole for the Miami Sprint Race in 2025 in his rookie year- that is practically unheard of in modern Formula One. 

If he continues with this trajectory, I have no doubts that Antonelli will win multiple races this season and continue to develop. If he stops making minor mistakes and Mercedes provide a good and strong car, the young Italian is definitely WDC material.

Most people believe that George Russell will be the next Mercedes superstar, but he sometimes lets himself get distracted by external factors rather than focusing on his own race.

Kiera - Aston top 3 Constructor

Personally, I am backing an Aston Martin top 3 Constructors finish in 2026. With everything considered and all the changes being made within the team, I believe the team will become a front runner in the championship in the latter part of the season once they have settled into the new regulations and car.

I also think we will be seeing the Racing Bulls team on the podium (and perhaps the top step) multiple times. 

Also, for good measure I think this will be the year of Alex Albon. In 2026 Albon is set to break the record for the most starts with the Williams team, and I believe with that will come a burst of hope and confidence from the driver and I hope to see him take part in his most successful season yet. 

Tom - From the mire to Grand Prix victory for Aston Martin

It’s pretty clear that Aston Martin are heading into the year on the backfoot in their new power unit partnership with Honda, similar to how it panned out for Fernando Alonso’s former team McLaren in 2015. AM had a long 17-year marriage with Mercedes, stretching back to the days of Force India in 2009 and the team have managed to keep hold of their place on the grid very well despite the financial difficulties they had faced, not to mention the team going into administration in 2018 before Lawrence Stroll came to their rescue.

Now, with a new wind tunnel facility, a new factory, a new power unit manufacturer in Honda, who had shared championship success with Red Bull during the V6 turbo hybrid era; along with the recruitment of car-design guru Adrian Newey, who had been promoted to Team Principal just before 2025 was at an end, they have to start pushing towards threatening the top-four teams. Whilst I think it’s going to be a long journey towards discussing Aston Martin being a race-winning team, they are one of those outfits that convince me that this year they can turn it around despite the maladies they have suffered in terms of reliability and performance during pre-season testing.

As we all know, it’s a long season with 24 races, new regulations coming into force and a lot of money has gone into this 2026 project of theirs and they can’t back down from it now. If there was one driver who can get them over that race-winning line, it has to be the man who turns 45 later this year and that’s Fernando Alonso. I don’t feel he needs to be in top gear in order to win, he just needs a car that he knows can fight for wins on the odd occasion.

Putting all this into context, I think Aston Martin will come away with a race win by the end of the year. It might take a wet race to do it but if so then so be it, it’s Formula 1. The team had this scenario in Belgium 1998, France 1999 and Brazil 2003. They can do it again.

📸Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited.