Max Verstappen has been tipped to join Lewis Hamilton by struggling with F1’s next era of cars. Hamilton has not been at his best with the current generation of ground-effect cars and, since the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, has been knocked off the top spot in F1.

With wholesale regulation changes sweeping into the sport in 2026, having more wind tunnel time could be the difference between just winning a few races and championship success, as the teams scramble to improve their initial packages after the first race of 2026.

From sevens drivers standing on the podium, five securing a pole position and a title fight that could go either way, David Coulthard says it’s been a great F1 season. The only thing preventing it from being a “perfect Hollywood season” is Lewis Hamilton’s disappointing form.