F1 2026 - Watchalong Thread

[Brazilianadventure]

Happy New Year.

This is going to be an interesting year with the regulation change.

Rumours are Mercedes and RB engines are exploiting a loophole and so may have the most powerful engines.

AM will have a car with significant input from Adrian Newey.

Sauber becomes Audi and we have an 11th team, Cadillac.

Christian Horner seems very keen to get back into F1, preferably Alpine with Flávio - they deserve each other.

There is closed door testing in Barcelona then open testing from 11 February at Sakhir.

Edited for typo and thread title.

Thanks I'll ask to have it taken down, not that I'm very controversial on MN 🤣

Just seen the rumours that Aston Martin won’t actually race in Australia! They have to turn up and do the formation lap (in the contacts) but that’s it!!!

That must be devastating for the team and drivers!

I feel for Aston Martin as I think they really thought 2026 with Adrian Newey would be a big step forward.
As you say contractually they need to turn up and do qually and formation lap.
The question I’ve seen being asked is if the 107% rule still applies.

I would very much like to hear Fernando’s thoughts on this. Adrian’s too actually.

My DS tells me that the Aston Martin issue is with Honda, and the engine, rather than the car itself. The engine is not working so well, and also Honda didn’t/don’t have enough spare parts available for AM to do full testing and run full practice and race sessions etc.

Re: the 107% rule, last season there were definitely drivers who didn’t set a qualifying time, either because they crashed in Q1 or had mechanical issues, but they were allowed to race on the grounds that their practice laps had been deemed suitably fast enough. But of course, we don’t know whether AM will even be able to set a fast enough practice lap…

It’s a real shame for the drivers and the team. Fingers crossed for them this weekend.

Has anyone else seen the sky tv billboard posters with a new era of F1...? There are 2 in our town. Its a close up of a driver with just the helmet and eyes showing. Its Lewis Hamiltons yellow helmet (with his name on it) but not him wearing it...

There’s one of Landos blob helmet too but it’s also not him inside it

This is the new F1 trailer from Sky that links in with the billboards:

https://www.skysports.com/f1/video/30998/13515137/formula-one-new-f1-opening-titles-featuring-music-from-tate-mcrae

Def not Lewis in the helmet.

And I HATE the new theme music. It would be fine to have cocktails to but it’s not exactly F1.😡

On a more positive note for the Sky F1 changes, no more Danica 😄

That’s awful (the titles)

I dont like the new music
And where is the T pose? 🤣

Yes, bring back the T pose

That title music is so far from Traditional F1.

I really liked the last one.

Bring back fleetwood mac!!

Yes bring back Fleetwood Mac. I play their music all the time and that song will always make me think about F1

Dd tells me that is not the main pre race title sequence, it's for Sky's other stuff.

DS thinks the same 🤞

Well Sky themselves refer to it as their “new opening titles for F1”

It is to replace this

Totally agree, I was waiting for sparkles. It’s a shame they missed it as it was a cute story.

They've released the titles we see before a race. Still no T pose but Kimi has a call me hand wave thingy.

Such a shame for Aston Martin. I hope they can get it fixed soon. Curious though, how come 44 year old Alonso can drive for 25 mins without nerve damage while 27 year old Stroll can only last 15 mins?

Has anyone else seen the lollipop man season's intro. Good way of explaining the new cars and rules while being very funny

I've just pulled Alonso from my fantasy F1 team. Such a shame for AM. Still I'm looking forward to the new season and getting excited about the first race.

Not seen it yet but I love lollipop man

Panic over re the intro music, but the T pose has still gone!

So disappointing for AM, especially Alonso