The 2026 Formula 1 season is just around the corner, and now is the time to familiarize yourself with all of the skilled drivers that will be competing on the grid and the teams that they’re racing for.
This article will help you get up to speed for the upcoming season, so you know which drivers to watch for and which teams have the top talent on their roster. And for more information, check out the 2026 F1 TV Schedule here!
And, you can catch all of the high-speed action on the track this season on DIRECTV!
F1 Teams and Drivers in 2026
First, let’s take a look at the 11 teams of Formula 1. Teams, also known as constructors, are how the drivers in Formula 1 are organized, and each has two cars and two drivers. The drivers compete on their own, but they both contribute to their team’s performance in the standings.
Each team is staffed by engineers and designers that work to improve the drivers’ custom cars throughout the season, plus a pit crew that performs on-the-fly maintenance during races. Team principals manage the team’s operations.
Now, let’s take a look at the F1 teams and their drivers.
Cadillac
Drivers: Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas
The big news this season is the addition of Cadillac as a new team, expanding the grid to 11 constructors. It’s the first time a new team has joined the grid since 2016, when Haas first entered, and it will be just the second U.S.-based team.
Though the team is brand new, its pair of drivers are not: Perez and Bottas are seasoned veterans, most recently driving for Red Bull and Mercedes, respectively, and combining for 16 Grand Prix wins. The team also brought in Graeme Lowdon, Virgin’s former CEO and a veteran F1 principal.
The team is U.S.-based, but operations will be split between the U.S. (chassis) and the U.K. (aerodynamics and race operations).
Red Bull
Drivers: Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar
Team Red Bull is home to the world’s most successful — and highest paid — Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen. Known for their cutting-edge innovations and aggressive driving style, Red Bull has been dominant in recent seasons, but saw less success in 2025, finishing third in the constructor’s championship and second in the driver’s championship, with Verstappen narrowly losing out to McLaren’s Lando Norris.
This year, Verstappen will have a new teammate once again as Isack Hadjar moves up from Racing Bulls. He’ll replace former Racing Bulls teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who himself replaced Liam Lawson on the top team for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix and remained on the team for the rest of the season. Tsunoda will be the reserve and test driver for both teams this year.
Racing Bulls (RB)
Drivers: Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad
Formerly known as Scuderia AlphaTauri, Racing Bulls is Red Bull’s sister team focusing on developing talent for the top team. Liam Lawson will be the senior driver this season after being demoted from Red Bull Racing, though he put up a strong finish last season. He’ll pair up with 18-year-old rookie Arvid Lindblad.
Ferrari
Drivers: Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton
Red Bull might have the top driver on their team, but Ferrari employs the other two highest paid Formula 1 drivers in Charles Leclerc and seven-time champ Lewis Hamilton. The 2025 season was Hamilton’s first with the team after he moved over from Mercedes.
Though Ferrari was seen as a top contender entering 2025, Hamilton’s transition wasn’t particularly smooth: He recorded his first-ever season without at least one podium. The team finished fourth in the Constructor’s rankings, and neither driver finished first in a single race, marking the team’s first season without a Grand Prix win since 2020.
Ferrari has invested considerable resources into improving their car for the coming season, and if those upgrades pan out, they’ve certainly got the talent behind the wheel to win.
McLaren
Drivers: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
McLaren has been steadily gaining traction as a top competitor in Formula 1 with Norris and Piastri behind the wheel, and their efforts reached a crescendo in 2024 and 2025 as the team won back-to-back constructors titles and Norris secured his first driver’s title.
Norris took the driver’s championship title, but McLaren was a potent one-two punch all season long, and things could easily have swung in his partner’s favor: Piastri led the driver’s rankings for the better part of the season, only dropping to third after an exciting late-season duel with Verstappen and Norris.
With major regulation changes expected to shake things up in the 2026 season, whether McLaren can defend for a third time remains to be seen.
Mercedes
Drivers: George Russell, Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes has been ascendant in recent seasons, and they’re now a legitimate rival to McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull. Even with the loss of Hamilton to Ferrari, veteran George Russell and Kimi Antonelli were both excellent in 2025. Russell finished fourth in the Driver’s Championship, while Antonelli, though a bit inconsistent at times, still topped the rookie class in points.
This season, it’s become common knowledge that Mercedes’ car, with an innovative new expanding engine design that could provide a big speed advantage, is expected to be one of the top performers. Between those car upgrades and the clear talent behind the wheel, Mercedes is currently the favorite to win the 2026 Constructor’s title.
Aston Martin
Drivers: Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
Team Aston Martin was formerly known as Racing Point and got back into the Formula 1 game in 2021. Veteran Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the son of the team’s billionaire backer, Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin’s executive chairman, are behind the wheel once again and angling for a better finish than last season, which saw the team place seventh in the Constructor’s standings.
Aston Martin will also have new leadership, with Adrian Newey, a veteran designer and long-time Alonso collaborator, taking for as principal. Newey had a significant hand in design of the team’s 2026 car. They’ll also work with Honda as their engine partner, changing from Mercedes.
Haas
Drivers: Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon
Haas joins the fledgling Cadillac as the only other U.S.-based team on the grid. Known for their innovative, cost-efficient strategies, including outsourcing technology to Ferarri and Dallara, Haas has become a solid contender since arriving on the scene in 2016.
Haas was solid in 2025, especially late in the season and due to Bearman’s strong performance. The team’s composition remains much the same as they try to build on that momentum in 2026.
Alpine
Drivers: Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto
Alpine is French automaker Renault’s performance division, and the company’s team was rebranded to help promote that line in 2021.
Alpine was F1’s worst team in 2025, with a dead-last finish, the worst in team history. The car’s weak engine simply couldn’t keep up with the competition, and the team made a mid-season driver swap, jettisoning the struggle Jack Doohan in favor of Franco Colapinto, who also struggled in the subpar vehicle. Only Gassly scored any points.
This season, that engine has been swapped out for a Mercedes — the same next-gen setup as Mercedes themselves and rival McLaren are expected to use.
Colapinto will remain the team’s second driver in 2026.
Williams
Drivers: Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz
Williams Racing is another team that saw its days of glory throughout the 80s and 90s but finds itself in rebuild mode in recent seasons.
Albon’s the veteran here, having been with the team for the past five seasons, and he had a strong eighth place finish in the driver’s standings, but Sainz, who signed on in 2025 after being one of the most sought-after drivers on the market, seems to have provided the spark the team has needed, finishing ninth, right behind his teammate, after a strong debut season.
The team’s form remains mostly unchanged heading into 2026, aside from F2 phenom Luke Browning stepping into the reserve role.
Audi
Drivers: Nico Hulkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto
Last season’s Kick Sauber will become this season’s Audi after the German carmaker completed its takeover of the Sauber Group. With a new car design accompanying the rebrand, the only thing that’ll remain the same for this team is the pair behind the wheel.
Audi is expected to be a stronger competitor than last year’s Sauber, which was one of the worst on the grid.
Which Formula 1 Team Have Won the Most Championships?
Formula 1’s Constructor’s and Drivers titles are the most coveted honors that a team and its drivers can obtain in the sport. These championship titles are given to the team and driver, respectively, who were most successful throughout the season under F1’s points system.
So, which teams have the most championships under their belt? Let’s take a look:
- Ferrari: 16 Constructors, 15 Drivers
- McLaren: 10 Constructors, 13 Drivers
- Williams: 9 Constructors, 7 Drivers
- Mercedes: 8 Constructors, 9 Drivers
- Lotus: 7 Constructors, 6 Drivers
- Red Bull: 6 Constructors, 7 Drivers
- Cooper: 2 Constructors, 2 Drivers
- Brabham: 2 Constructors, 4 Drivers
- Renault: 2 Constructors 2 Drivers
When Does the 2025 Formula 1 Season Start?
The 2026 Formula 1 season revs into gear March 6 – 8, 2026 with the Australian Grand Prix.
Get the full F1 2026 Schedule right here!
Watch Formula 1 on DIRECTV
Don’t miss out on all of the action on the track during the year’s Formula 1 races.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Formula 1 teams are there?
There are 10 F1 teams, each with two drivers.
Who is the best Formula 1 driver right now?
Max Verstappen of Team Red Bull is considered the top F1 driver right now.
Which team is the most successful in Formula 1?
Ferrari has the most overall Constructor's and Driver's titles.
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