Early 2026 F1 Season Review: Top Drivers' Performances

As the 2026 Formula 1 season takes a temporary pause following its initial three rounds, a comprehensive assessment of the drivers' performances has been conducted by Sky Sports F1. The evaluation is based on the Drivers' Championship standings. Kimi Antonelli has demonstrated remarkable resilience in bouncing back from a severe crash during the final practice session of the season's opening race in Australia. This recovery earned him the distinction of becoming the youngest championship leader in F1 history after three rounds. Antonelli's impressive display continued with a dominant performance at the Chinese Grand Prix, followed by an equally notable recovery from a poor start at Suzuka, where he showcased remarkable pace. George Russell commenced the season in exceptional form, securing victories at the Australian Grand Prix and the Sprint in China. However, his performance was hindered by a technical issue during Shanghai qualifying, which seemed to affect his subsequent outings. Russell appeared to struggle with adapting to the new style of wheel-to-wheel racing, facing difficulties in overtaking the Ferraris despite possessing greater pace. Charles Leclerc has largely maintained his form from the previous season, consistently extracting the maximum potential from his Ferrari. Although he faced challenges in China, a circuit he has openly admitted to finding particularly demanding, Leclerc rebounded with an outstanding drive in Japan to secure two podiums from three races. Lewis Hamilton seemed rejuvenated in the initial couple of races, culminating in his first grand prix podium for Ferrari in China. However, his performance in Japan was more reminiscent of the previous year, as he was outpaced by Leclerc throughout the weekend and ultimately finished sixth. The reigning world champion, Lando Norris, has been hindered by a series of early-season issues with his McLaren, most notably when he was unable to start the race in China. While his limited track time should be taken into account, Norris will likely be disappointed by being outqualified by his teammate Oscar Piastri in all three races. Nevertheless, he managed to produce a decent drive in Japan, securing fifth place ahead of Hamilton. Piastri's season commenced disastrously, with a crash on his way to the grid at his home race. Despite this, he has since performed admirably, with the exception of an unfortunate incident due to an unexpected torque spike. Piastri was unlucky to miss a potential victory in Japan due to the ill-timed Safety Car. The young British driver, Bearman, started the season strongly, backing up his seventh-place finish at the opening race with a fifth-place finish in China, where he outperformed his teammate. However, he experienced a setback in Japan, suffering a surprise Q1 exit and then crashing out of the race in an incident that was not entirely his fault. The French driver, Gasly, has made a superb start to the season, finishing all three races in the points and securing a lofty eighth position in the drivers' standings. He qualified seventh at each of the last two races, moving up to sixth by the chequered flag in China, and defended superbly against Max Verstappen to maintain his starting position in Japan. Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, has expressed dissatisfaction with F1's new cars, particularly the Red Bull he is driving. After recovering from a qualifying crash in Australia to finish sixth, he could only manage eighth in Japan following a shock Q2 exit at Suzuka. Liam Lawson has been pushed hard by British teenager Arvid Lindblad but deserves credit for his seventh-place finishes in the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint and the main race. The qualifying battle between them has been closely contested, with Lawson edging out Lindblad in Australia and China. The only rookie on the grid, Lindblad, has been impressive, making his debut in Australia and producing a notable lap in Suzuka to knock out Verstappen in Q2. Hadjar has outqualified Verstappen on merit in Japan and appears to be the closest teammate the Dutchman has had since Daniel Ricciardo in 2018. An unforced spin on the opening lap of the Chinese Grand Prix has been Hadjar's only major mistake so far. It is challenging to assess the Audi drivers, given that Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg have each failed to start one race. Nevertheless, Bortoleto has continued to demonstrate strong one-lap speed, scoring the team's only points in Australia. Despite Williams' struggles, Carlos Sainz has scored points in China and has been extracting the maximum potential from his car. Esteban Ocon was unable to reach Q3 in Australia and China when his teammate could, but fared better in Japan, scoring his first point of the season. The significant gap between teammates is evident at Alpine, where Colapinto is being outclassed by Gasly, nearly one second slower in qualifying at the last two races, and has also been off the pace in races. Hulkenberg continues to show decent pace in races and might have scored points in Japan had he not lost time battling with Bortoleto. Alex Albon has struggled with the new driving style required to optimize the new power units, resulting in a general pace deficit. Valtteri Bottas may have a higher finishing position than his teammate, but he has slightly less outright pace. Sergio Perez's race pace was stronger than Bottas' in Australia and China, a strength that has not diminished since his return to Formula 1. Fernando Alonso's performance is difficult to assess, but he remains the lead driver at Aston Martin and shows no signs of relinquishing his position. Lance Stroll has yet to see the chequered flag in the opening three Grands Prix and has been outqualified by Fernando Alonso. The Formula 1 season resumes on May 1-3 with the Miami Grand Prix, the season's second Sprint weekend, live on Sky Sports F1.