Lawrence Barretto’s 5 bold predictions for the 2026 season – which of these could materialise?

After a recharge and almost certainly too many mince pies, I knuckled down to pen one of the trickiest but most fun features to write of the year – my five bold predictions for the year ahead. The new chassis and power unit regulations mean there's even greater uncertainty about this year's pecking order and therefore even greater scope for me to get them horribly wrong – but I've given it my best shot. So, here goes...

1. Mercedes will reclaim the Teams’ Championship

The ground-effect era has not been a fun time for Mercedes. The Silver Arrows entered the period in 2022 as eight-time defending World Champions, and leave it having failed to ever get on top of the rules and subsequently never contending for either title.