F1 season opens: from 11 teams to title favorites [Kwon Ma-heo’s Helmet]
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- 2026-03-07 06:00:00
- Updated
- 2026-03-07 06:00:00
F1 is often called one of the world’s three biggest sports, yet it remains oddly unpopular in Korea. In F1, nothing is done halfway, whether it is the drivers, the cars, the equipment, or the teams. This column brings you news from that world. Starting this week, Kwon Ma-heo’s Helmet will follow the greatest show on earth, F1, which makes fans around the globe laugh and cry every other weekend. We will cover a wide range of topics, sometimes light and sometimes serious, but always in an accessible way. If you want useful and entertaining information about F1, subscribe to Kwon Ma-heo’s Helmet.
Looking at the final grid for this year...who will take the title?
McLaren has kept its one-two punch of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in their seats. The pair finished first and third last year, and both are again considered strong title contenders this season.
Second-placed Mercedes has also retained George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli as its line-up. They finished fourth and seventh last year, showing plenty of potential. This season also marks Russell’s eighth year in F1.
Red Bull Racing has made a small change to its line-up. Max Verstappen remains in the lead seat, but Isack Hadjar has been promoted to the second seat. Hadjar even scored a podium finish last year. It is a pity, though, that Yuki Tsunoda, the only Asian driver on the grid, has lost his place.
Ferrari has kept the same pairing of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in its first and second seats. The two finished last season amicably side by side in fifth and sixth overall.
Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz Jr., who showed off their “bromance” at the Circuit de Monaco in Round 8 last year, will continue their careers at Williams this season. It will be interesting to see whether they can recreate a similar moment in Round 8 again. For more on that story, see“‘Romantic overdose’... just how cool is Team Williams? [Kwon Ma-heo’s Helmet]”(available in a previous column).
Racing Bulls has handed its seats this year to Liam Lawson, who was promoted last season and then dropped back down, and newcomer Arvid Lindblad. Lawson, who surged late last year to finish 14th, now takes the team’s number one seat. I am personally curious to see how he manages his mentality over the course of this season.
At Aston Martin, “tutor” Fernando Alonso and “young master” Lance Stroll will take the first and second seats. Haas (Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman) and Alpine (Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto) have also kept the same line-ups as last year. Audi Revolut, which changed its name after being taken over by Audi, has put “Hulk” Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto in its first and second seats.
A new team on the grid: what will Cadillac bring?
There is also great interest in who will win the first Grand Prix of 2026, held in Australia from March 6 to 8. The weather was terrible in last year’s opening round, which led to all sorts of dramatic situations, and we may see a similar atmosphere again. For a recap of last year’s Round 1, see“In the midst of chaos, Norris triumphs... can McLaren win again this year? [Kwon Ma-heo’s Helmet]”(covered in another column).
In the first Practice 1 session, Ferrari has shown strong pace. Leclerc topped the timesheets, Hamilton was second, and Verstappen placed third.
Now for my prediction of this year’s champion. Considering the way he surged at the end of last season, I believe this could finally be the year Verstappen takes the title. My forecast is Verstappen in first, Norris in second, and Piastri in third.
All feedback is welcome. If you spot anything that is factually incorrect, please feel free to let me know at any time!
kjh0109@fnnews.com Kwon Jun-ho Reporter