F1 2026 Second Half: Ferrari Champions, Mercedes Under Threat, Rules Rethink

Zandvoort will mark the start of the second half of the 2026 F1 season, with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli leading the championship. However, Mercedes' once-dominant lead is eroding. Ferrari and McLaren have claimed victories, and Red Bull is showing signs of threat. The question now: will Antonelli become the youngest world champion, or can Ferrari snatch the title? Sportrik journalists offer their predictions.

Mat Coch argues that performance convergence has begun. Mercedes, as the target, will struggle to maintain its edge. Other teams are learning about their cars and power units, and are sharing development trends. As a result, the second half will be far more competitive, with more wins for Ferrari, McLaren, and possibly Red Bull.

Michelle Foster predicts Antonelli will win the drivers' title, but Ferrari will take the constructors' crown. Antonelli has been incredibly lucky, with podiums in all but two races. However, Mercedes' poor reliability, especially for George Russell, will be decisive. Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, will be consistent and edge ahead at the end.

Baca JugaRob Smedley Tolak Tawaran Jadi Team Principal F1, Ini Alasannya

Conversely, Thomas Maher believes Mercedes will improve. With upgrades in the pipeline, he expects Mercedes to return to dominance. While Ferrari and McLaren might each win one more race, Antonelli and Russell will be hard to beat. A tight battle is also predicted between Racing Bulls and Audi in the midfield.

Henry Valantine highlights the return of Sepang in October. He fears the circuit's characteristics, with two long straights in the final sector, will be a battery killer for the 2026 cars. Energy management will be key, and the race might be less spectacular than hoped.

Oliver Harden raises serious safety concerns. The start at Spa showed extreme speed differentials between cars lacking energy and others. He warns that a serious incident could occur at Monza or Mexico, forcing F1 to implement emergency rule changes. If the season ends without a fatal accident, we should consider ourselves very lucky.