(Motorsport-Total.com) – The year 2026 marks a turning point in Formula 1 with the new technical regulations. While all teams start from scratch, five drivers are particularly in focus. Whether after a disappointing previous season or due to a team change: these drivers must prove in 2026 that they rightly occupy a place in the premier class.
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Oscar Piastri: The mental test of endurance
On August 31, 2025, Oscar Piastri looked like the coming world champion. After his victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, he led the table with a 34-point lead, while his teammate and rival Lando Norris came away empty-handed. But the title that seemed certain slipped through the Australian’s fingers in the final phase of the season.
Strategic errors in Monza, a weak weekend in Baku, and problems on the smooth asphalt surfaces in Mexico and Singapore cost him the title. In the end, he was even pushed down to third place by Max Verstappen. For a 24-year-old, such a setback is an enormous psychological challenge. In addition, the new regulations for 2026 provide for cars with less grip, which could conflict with Piastri’s driving style.
“Oscar is more of a driver for high grip, where he can fully exploit his incredible talent,” explained McLaren team principal Andrea Stella last year. Piastri must now prove that he can adapt in order not to permanently fall into the role of number two behind the visibly inspired world champion Norris.
Esteban Ocon: Fight for his Formula 1 career
While Piastri fights for his status, for Esteban Ocon at Haas it’s about sporting survival. His debut year with the US racing team was disappointing, finishing 15th in the World Championship. It was viewed particularly critically that he finished three points behind his teammate, rookie Oliver Bearman.
“If you look purely at the sporting result without going into detail, of course no one is satisfied with Esteban’s result last year. He is the teammate of a rookie. Yes, an amazing rookie, but Esteban still has ten years of Formula 1 under his belt,” summarized Haas boss Ayao Komatsu on the 2025 season.
Since Ocon’s contract expires at the end of the year, he is under massive pressure. Should he lose out to Bearman again, an extension at Haas or a cockpit with another team is likely to become a distant prospect.
Lewis Hamilton: The search for the Ferrari DNA
For Lewis Hamilton, the last few years have been a test of patience. Even the move to Ferrari did not bring the hoped-for upswing in 2025: sixth place in the World Championship, not a single victory, and a significant gap of 86 points to Charles Leclerc. Hamilton often justified this by saying that the SF-25 was developed without his input.
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With the new regulations for 2026, this excuse disappears. The 41-year-old emphasized after the test drives that the SF-26 suited him better: “Last year we were tied to a car that I ultimately inherited. This is a car whose development in the simulator I have been able to participate in over the last eight to ten months, so there is a bit of my DNA in it. I definitely feel more connected to this vehicle.”
Hamilton must now show that he has not yet passed his peak, otherwise the signs at the end of the season could point to a farewell.
Liam Lawson: At a crossroads
Liam Lawson looks back on a turbulent time in the Red Bull cosmos, including promotion and subsequent demotion back to the sister team Racing Bulls. History shows that drivers who have had to take the path back to the junior team once rarely get a second chance in the main team.
Lawson’s biggest problem remains his qualifying pace. In the direct duel against Isack Hadjar, he lost last year with 6:21 (16:6 adjusted for sprints). Since the next generation is already knocking with talents like Arvid Lindblad, Lawson must deliver in 2026. If he doesn’t find the decisive tenths of a second in the new cars, his career risks ending in a dead end.
Isack Hadjar: The legacy of the second Red Bull cockpit
It’s almost a tradition: a young driver comes to Red Bull, is self-confident, and ultimately fails due to the dominance of Max Verstappen. Isack Hadjar is the next one who wants to break this streak. The 21-year-old is pointedly relaxed, even after an accident during testing in Barcelona that brought back memories of Pierre Gasly’s difficult start in 2019.
“When I crashed, I immediately thought of Pierre. I went on Twitter, read everything, and thought to myself: I’m done for the whole season. That’s how I then checked it off,” Hadjar said dryly as usual. But the humor will quickly evaporate if sporting success fails to materialize.
Red Bull emphasizes that the RB22 was designed to be drivable for both drivers. Hadjar must now prove that he is mentally strong enough to hold his own alongside Verstappen and take important points away from rival teams like McLaren or Ferrari.
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