‘What Are You Most Excited For in 2026?’ Fans Have Their Say!

The 2026 season brings with it new teams, new races and a whole new set of regulations for us to get our heads around.

Back at the factory, our team has been working around the clock to prepare the best we can for this change in rules, with plenty of excitement and anticipation for what’s to come.

But, it’s not just us (and the new engines) getting fired up! We reached out to the fans who told us why their local Grand Prix was the best on the F1 calendar last year, to discover what they’re most looking forward to across the 2026 season.

Supporting George and Kimi

So many fans are keen to observe our driver duo of George and Kimi – Russonelli to many - as they head into their second season as teammates this campaign. George had an outstanding 2025 and is ready to fight for a title, and we can’t wait to see how Kimi gets on now he’s got a year of Formula 1 racing under his belt.

“I’ve followed Kimi Antonelli closely, and he’s earned every step towards a first F1 win,” says Haya from Bahrain, while Ahmed from Saudi Arabia adds that he’s “looking forward to Kimi and George competing for Drivers’ World Championships in 2026”.

Renata from Hungary is also interested to see where Kimi will line up now his rookie year is behind him: “After one year of driving experience at Mercedes, is Kimi ready to make crazy overtakes, brave strategic decisions and beat his teammate on track and get his first victory? I’m sure he can do it,” she says.

“Our biggest dream is to see George take his first World Championship title,” Naija and his GR63-obsessed son from Japan share. “My son, Sogo, is already dreaming of seeing George’s T-pose on the podium at Suzuka!”

New Engine Regulations

Of course, the biggest talking point ahead of the 2026 season are the new set of regulations that have impacted both the engines and the cars themselves. There’s so much to learn and understand, with all teams wanting to emerge on top.

“I cannot wait for the new engine and aero regulations,” Olivier, born and raised in Monaco, says. “It will be interesting to see which teams ‘got it right’ straight away and who will need to catch up. The strategy from the drivers on when to deploy their battery boosts will also be fascinating,” he adds.

Rimsha in Abu Dhabi recounts how “seasons with major technical changes always reshuffle the competitive order, and I'm excited to see how the teams interpret the new framework and push the boundaries again”.

For Myrna in Qatar, this is the perfect reset button for the Silver Arrows: “Mercedes are one of those teams who just know how to rise under new rules. If there’s one team who knows how to do that it’s Mercedes. They’re very innovative, but you can never count them out.”

Other Changes to the Cars

The removal of DRS in favour of ‘Overtake Mode’ was a big talking point among fans, with US-based Adam hoping the shake up leads to more wheel-to-wheel racing. “With active aerodynamics, reduced dirty air, and new features like the Boost Button and Overtake Mode, everything points to a season packed with nonstop action,” he shares.

“It will be a year zero for Formula 1 — every team will have to challenge itself from scratch,” Jasmine, from Italy, says, before adding how she “can’t wait to see real overtakes again, without DRS!”

It’s clear that closer racing is the dream for most, with Mexico’s Sergio hoping “that having so many changes in aerodynamics, power units and even chassis size, should create more chaos that should produce some bangers inside and outside the track”.

“Given the major changes, the battle for the Constructors’ Championship is going to unfold a whole new story and I believe it is going to keep us on the edge of our seats,” Sevinj from Azerbaijan adds.

Attending Home Races

As expected, most fans are thrilled to have racing back in their home country for another year, with Neus from Spain “excited to see two Spanish races on the calendar” with the new addition of Madrid as well as our annual visit to Barcelona.

Maria, from Italy, is also excited about Madring’s debut, as well as the “continuity of most of the tracks seen in 2025 that'll be returning”, even if she is still sad to have lost Imola.

“I’m counting down to the first ever Singapore Sprint Race,” declares local Shevon.

For Luke in Australia, it’ll be a fourth visit to Albert Park as season opener gets underway in Melbourne in early March.

Luke will be one of the first to see how the new era plays out in racing conditions.

“Personally, I can't wait to see how the new regulations shake up the order of the teams,” he says.

“During 2026, I hope we can compare how close the cars are when racing to this year and see a massive leap forward!

Motorsport marshal Julia will also be “looking forward to seeing the new cars up close in Melbourne” despite usually being based in Austria. “I’ll be volunteering at seven F1 weekends in 2026 which means I’ll be running on adrenaline, earplugs, and very little sleep!”

On a personal level, I will also be hoping to make it back to Silverstone this season, and there will be no shortage of track action that weekend with Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy all taking to the track over the three days – what a treat.

“I’m going to attend the Chinese Grand Prix for the 11th time” Nicole from Shanghai proudly mentions. “George finished third last time, so I am hoping for second or even a win in 2026.”

Welcoming New Teams

Not only are there team changes this season, but we’re also getting a whole new outfit on the grid in the shape of Cadillac. They’ve snapped up our favourite mullet-wearer Valtteri for a full-time race seat return alongside Sergio Perez.

“I am most excited for the new teams on the grid and the extra level of competition it will bring,” Mikaela, better known as ‘shelovesvrooms’ confessed, adding that she was happy to see so many drivers start new chapters across the grid.

“New rules, new projects and new manufacturers always bring a lot of unknowns, and I’m excited to see how close the field could become and how each team interprets this new era,” Maë from Belgium reveals.

“A new team on the grid changes the whole balance of things,” Giulia over in Brazil also says.

“This new season also has an added fascination for those with a feeling for history,” our historian contributor, Colin, concludes. “Audi may be a fresh arrival to Formula 1, but as Auto Union they first entered grand prix motor racing in 1934. It was the beginning of six years of drama and engineering wonder, as Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union went toe-to-toe for glory in the European Championship and the record books.”