The Official F1 2026 silly season *contains speculation*

[oyster]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

the-norseman said:

Merchandise sales will wipe that out.

I'm part of the Scuderia Ferrari Club, the president was saying there has already been a massive uptake in members joining who are purely "Hamilton" fans.

I am getting more and more worried that F1 is being driven by money rather than the ability of the drivers. Firstly we have Perez who we are told is being retained by Red Bull because of the sponsorship he brings with him.

Secondly Ferrari are happy with Hamilton due to the Merchandise he will sell.

I have probably only watched half of the races live this year, the rest I watch on the 8 minute YouTube highlights. Have to say I don't feel like I have missed anything.

I've watched F1 since the early 80s.

This season has had some brilliant racing. I'd suggest if you're watching this season in 8 minute bursts on YouTube, then the issue isn't with F1.

[asfault]

Altrezia said:

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

I am getting more and more worried that F1 is being driven by money rather than the ability of the drivers. Firstly we have Perez who we are told is being retained by Red Bull because of the sponsorship he brings with him.

Secondly Ferrari are happy with Hamilton due to the Merchandise he will sell.

I have probably only watched half of the races live this year, the rest I watch on the 8 minute YouTube highlights. Have to say I don't feel like I have missed anything.

Its always been this way. Pay drivers have always been part of the sport.

Perez was a very decent driver especially in 2021 but he had fallen from that.

[Mark-C]

Graeme Lowdon now in at Cadillac as Team Principle.

My first prediction for 2026 is that he won't be by the time the first race comes around!

[Jinba Ittai]

Mark-C said:

Graeme Lowdon now in at Cadillac as Team Principle.

My first prediction for 2026 is that he won't be by the time the first race comes around!

I thought Otmar Szafnauer would have been perfect for this. Perhaps by the start of '26 he will be!

[Sandpit Steve]

Cadillac said to be considering Danial Ricciardo for 2026, as reported in German newspaper Bild.

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/12/12/daniel-r...

It definitely makes sense for a new team to want to start off with experienced drivers who know how to win races. Valtteri Bottas also named in the article.

[8Ace]

My money's on Sonny Hayes. I hear he's doing well this year

[vaud]

Sandpit Steve said:

Cadillac said to be considering Danial Ricciardo for 2026, as reported in German newspaper Bild.

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/12/12/daniel-r...

It definitely makes sense for a new team to want to start off with experienced drivers who know how to win races. Valtteri Bottas also named in the article.

They are going to be at the back for a few seasons, so I guess it doesn't matter if the driver has lost a bit of their edge, but brings experience. Ricciardo or Bottas would be good PR material. Both good characters (Ricciardo constant smile and drinking from a shoe, Bottas with the mullet and zaniness)

[paulguitar]

vaud said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Cadillac said to be considering Danial Ricciardo for 2026, as reported in German newspaper Bild.

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/12/12/daniel-r...

It definitely makes sense for a new team to want to start off with experienced drivers who know how to win races. Valtteri Bottas also named in the article.

They are going to be at the back for a few seasons, so I guess it doesn't matter if the driver has lost a bit of their edge, but brings experience. Ricciardo or Bottas would be good PR material. Both good characters (Ricciardo constant smile and drinking from a shoe, Bottas with the mullet and zaniness)

Bottas would be a good choice, but DR is too far past his best, I reckon.

[snotrag]

I thought this the best place to share - something I saw whilst strolling through the socials at breakfast, I cannot vet the figures or the source but:

If you calculate the gaps between the drivers this year - Charles to Carlos, Lando to Oscar, Pierre to Esteban etc, for the 9 teams.... Then add them all up...

That figure is still less than the gap from Max to Sergio. Its not sustainable!

[carl_w]

Sandpit Steve said:

Cadillac said to be considering Danial Ricciardo for 2026, as reported in German newspaper Bild.

I thought that DR was the worst driver at setting up a car?

[Sandpit Steve]

paulguitar said:

Bottas would be a good choice, but DR is too far past his best, I reckon.

Yes I think I’d go with Valtteri as well, quite surprised that Audi didn’t keep him on at Sauber.

[732NM]

If you are building a team to genuinely target winning championships, you don't recruit proven journeyman failures, you target the best you can. See Mercedes and Lewis.

[vaud]

732NM said:

If you are building a team to genuinely target winning championships, you don't recruit proven journeyman failures, you target the best you can. See Mercedes and Lewis.

True but who wants to run around at the back for 2-3 years while they get the team together? 2026 season is only 15 months away and by all accounts the team is only 1/3rd strength?

[732NM]

vaud said:

True but who wants to run around at the back for 2-3 years while they get the team together? 2026 season is only 15 months away and by all accounts the team is only 1/3rd strength?

Someone on the up with no current drive. It's the engineers who make the biggest difference, give a young decent driver the job until you can attract the best. You never know, you may get lucky and find you gain a very competitive F1 driver.

The alternative is mediocre certainty.

[thegreenhell]

And that's why Audi have ended up with Hulkenberg and a rookie. Even their open chequebook couldn't attract Sainz.

[snotrag]

732NM said:

The alternative is mediocre certainty.

Plus a massive salary demand. There is tonnes of talent out there, most of which will take the opportunity for buttons compared to what DR or VB will be wanting.

And theres absolutely nothing to suggest that 'you get what you pay for' rings true here, is there!

[732NM]

thegreenhell said:

And that's why Audi have ended up with Hulkenberg and a rookie. Even their open chequebook couldn't attract Sainz.

One of the problems of basing your operation in Switzerland, you've already handicapped yourself. Cadillac engineering will be UK based.

[ajprice]

Horner saying Red Bull getting up to speed on the '26 engines with Ford and the new car regulations will take time. https://f1i.com/news/528283-horner-red-bull-can-ta...

Yuki to Aston Martin following Honda seems sensible, Honda gets a Japanese driver and Yuki gets out of the RB seat that's never going to be a step to Red Bull for him with Lawson stepping up now. Alonso will want to stay with Aston though, for the new regs and the Newey car, there's lots of stories about Max following Honda to Aston, and will Stroll Sr ever move Lance out of the seat for anyone, or will he want his boy to have a championship shot with the Newey Honda? '26 between Red Bull and Aston Martin is going to be interesting.

[BrettMRC]

ajprice said:

Horner saying Red Bull getting up to speed on the '26 engines with Ford and the new car regulations will take time. https://f1i.com/news/528283-horner-red-bull-can-ta...

Yuki to Aston Martin following Honda seems sensible, Honda gets a Japanese driver and Yuki gets out of the RB seat that's never going to be a step to Red Bull for him with Lawson stepping up now. Alonso will want to stay with Aston though, for the new regs and the Newey car, there's lots of stories about Max following Honda to Aston, and will Stroll Sr ever move Lance out of the seat for anyone, or will he want his boy to have a championship shot with the Newey Honda? '26 between Red Bull and Aston Martin is going to be interesting.

Stroll isn't awful, but he's not consistent... I wonder how much of a car advantage he would need over the field to get into a championship winning position?

[Sandpit Steve]

From the ‘25 thread:

TheDeuce said:

Is his Honda contract about to expire?

Either way I can't see that Helmut has made a mistake with him, he was only ever a function of the Honda deal, not a driver that Helmut choose or is invested in.

That was basically the problem, that the Honda deal (whether explicitly or implicitly) included the engine supplier placing the best Japanese driver they could find in one of the seats, for their own marketing purposes.

Marko doesn’t care for Yuki, he wasn’t a Red Bull junior and is only there to keep Honda happy. He’ll probably go either to Aston Martin or to Honda’s IMSA LMP entry for ‘26, depending on how much leverage they managed to get from Mr Stroll Snr.