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- F1 2026 Season So Far in Pics: Mercedes Dominance to Kimi Antonelli’s Rise, Lewis Hamilton’s First Ferrari Podium to Max Verstappen’s Nightmare
F1 2026 Season So Far in Pics: Mercedes Dominance to Kimi Antonelli’s Rise, Lewis Hamilton’s First Ferrari Podium to Max Verstappen’s Nightmare
The Formula 1 2026 season is now heading into a five-week break after the Japanese Grand Prix, following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to safety concerns amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. However, even within the first three races, a lot has unfolded, and one thing has remained constant: Mercedes’ dominance under the new 50/50 power split regulations. Across the opening rounds in Australia, China, and Japan, Mercedes secured all three pole positions and race wins. Kimi Antonelli made history in Shanghai by becoming the youngest-ever race winner at just 19, and he now leads the Drivers’ Championship with 72 points, including two wins and a second-place finish. George Russell sits close behind with 63 points after winning the season opener in Melbourne. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (49 points) and Lewis Hamilton (41 points) have claimed the remaining podium finishes but have consistently fallen short of matching Mercedes’ pace. From Antonelli’s rapid rise to Leclerc’s off-track moments, here’s a look at the 2026 F1 season so far in pictures.
Mercedes Dominance
After the 2026 engine overhaul, Mercedes have emerged as the clear powerhouse. They dominated the opening rounds, taking lead in both the drivers and contstructors championship by huge margins.
F1 2026 Season Opener - Australian Grand Prix Winner
George Russell had a brilliant day in Melbourne, taking a memorable win and leading Mercedes to a strong 1-2 finish. It was his first victory at Albert Park and also the first time he’s gone top of the Drivers’ Championship. Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari.
Chinese Grand Prix - Antonelli’s Maiden Win
The 19-year-old Mercedes talent Kimi Antonelli shocked the world in Shanghai. By securing his first-ever F1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix he became the second-youngest race winner in the history of the sport. Only Max Verstappen (18 years, 228 days) has won a race at a younger age. A day before his win, Antonelli became the youngest-ever polesitter in F1 history (19 years, 202 days), breaking Sebastian Vettel’s 18-year-old record.
Japanese Grand Prix - The Youngest Leader
Antonelli went back-to-back at Suzuka with his second win of F1 career. This second consecutive win officially made him the youngest driver ever to lead the Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship overtaking his teammate George Russell by 9 points.
Oscar Piastri's Redemption in Suzuka
After failing to even start the first two rounds—crashing on the formation lap in Australia and suffering an electrical failure in China—Piastri converted his very first race start of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix into a podium. He finished second just behind race winner Kimi Antonelli and ahead of Charles Leclerc. Piastri now stand 6th in the drivers championship with 21 points after podium in Suzuka and a 6th place finish in China Sprint race.
Lewis Hamilton's First Podium in Red
The seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton secured his first Ferrari podium with a P3 finish in China. He currently stands 4th in the standings with 41 points, just eight points behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. The 41-year-old has been vocal and highly positive about the new F1 regulations, praising the nimbler car handling and the tactical depth of the new power units.
Max Verstappen's Nightmare
Max Verstappen’s 2026 season has been difficult under the new regulations, with Red Bull-Ford’s power unit failing to deliver. He recovered to sixth in Melbourne from P16, retired in China, and finished eighth in Japan. Now ninth in the standings with 12 points, Verstappen has been openly critical of the new rules, citing reliability issues and poor energy deployment as major concerns in his RB22.
Aston Martin's Failure
Despite high expectations for the 2026 reset, Aston Martin has endured a dismal start, failing to score a single point in the opening three rounds. The team has struggled to integrate the new Honda power unit with their chassis, leaving Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll trapped at the back of the grid.
Cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
The 2026 season was reshaped following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to regional safety concerns amid ongoing Iran-Israel-US war. This forced a five-wek gap between Japanese GP and the next race, with action now set to resume at the Miami Grand Prix on May 4.
Charles Leclerc Marriage
In a major talking point of the 2026 season, Charles Leclerc married his long time girlfriend Alexandra Saint Mleux in a private ceremony in Monaco.
