With the 75th season of Formula 1 coming to a close, many enthusiasts of the sport are in a buzz over it’s culmination. Ten teams, each with two drivers, all vying for the title of champion, but only one can take that title. This year, the title of World Constructor’s Champion was given to McLaren with an astounding 833 points, and a 364 point-lead to Mercedes. This is their second title in a row, with their last title previous to 2024 being in 2008.

To add on to the McLarens’ triumphs, not only did they win the Constructor’s Championship, but they also had a victorious driver in the World Driver’s Championship; Lando Norris. Norris took home the title with 423 points, ending Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s four-year streak of being a champion by two points. Norris’ teammate, Oscar Piastri, ended up in third place behind Verstappen with 410 points. This has truly been a conquering season for McLaren, and many are now looking to predict how these contenders could impact the 2026 season.

With every season comes change; some big, and some small. This year saw many team swaps, such as Mercedes’ star driver, Lewis Hamilton, moving to Ferrari, and former Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz, moving to Williams. With the rearranging of teams also comes a new wave of drivers. The rookie line-up for 2025 was as follows: Kimi Antonelli in Mercedes, Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson in Racing Bulls, Oliver Bearman in Haas, Gabriel Bortoleto in Sauber, and Franco Colapinto in Alpine. Note, however, that Franco Colapinto had replaced rookie driver Jack Doohan for the second seat in the middle of the season. All of these young drivers showed promise, and the Formula One community is curious to see how they will fare in the 2026 season.

Now, with the 2025 season over, we look to 2026. One notable change that left many enthusiasts unsure was the replacement of the cars’ DRS (Drag Reduction System) with the MOM (Manual Override Mode). In addition, some line-up changes on the grid are set to take place; Isack Hadjar is going to be in the second seat at Red Bull, replacing Yuki Tsunoda, and Arvid Lindblad is taking Hadjar’s seat at Racing Bulls. To add on, not only are there changes to the original line-up, but there will be one change to an existing team and one new team. Sauber will keep their original drivers–Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoletto–but they will be known as “Audi” for the 2026 season. Onto the new team, Cadillac, who will be bringing back some veterans to the grid: Valterri Bottas and Sergio Perez. These tweaks, along with the victors of the World Driver’s Championship and World Constructors Championship, are leaving fans to wonder how the upcoming season will play out. Who will rise, and who will be left in the dust?