A close friend of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher has revealed exactly what he’s heard ahead of the 2026 F1 season.
Just over 48 hours on from Lando Norris clinching his maiden F1 crown at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, attention has already turned to the 2026 campaign, which is set to get underway in March of next year.
The 2026 season will see several new regulations and engine changes, which in turn could shake up the paddock.
The cars will undergo major changes with the power unit and chassis heavily impacted, while drivers will also have to get used to different aerodynamic rules.
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The new power units will rely more on electrical energy, with a 50-50 split between electric power and the internal combustion engine – an increase of 300 percent.
Meanwhile, there are many changes to the teams’ engine suppliers, with new team Audi taking over Sauber, as Ford will be in partnership with Red Bull. The Milton Keynes-based outfit will produce their own engine for the first time with Ford’s help.
Red Bull previously worked with Honda in relation to their engines, but the Japanese company will work with Aston Martin in 2026.
New team Cadillac will use Ferrari power units and gearboxes for at least the next three seasons.
Also in 2026, DRS will be replaced by manual overriding engine mode, which effectively temporarily enhances hybrid power. The cars will be either in ‘X-mode’ or ‘Z-mode’.
The former means front and rear wings will be closed, increasing downforce in the corners, while the latter allows drivers to open flaps, which in turn will reduce drag and increase speed.
As a result of the changes, it is difficult to predict the early stages next season, but former Head of Operations at Red Bull and close associate of Schumacher, Richard Hopkins, has revealed the ‘whispers’ he’s heard ahead of the campaign.
Speaking on behalf of Joe Fortune Casino, Hopkins, who guided Red Bull to four championships, explained: “You get into that paddock at this time of year, and there are always whispers going around, regardless of big changes going into the following season.
“If you believe what you want to believe, the Mercedes engine is supposed to be performing well, but how do they know? They probably had some target figures, and they're saying that it meets their targets. But what are those targets relative to everybody else?
“Some people will say the Ferrari engine is overweight. The Honda engine's going to be overweight. The Red Bull Powertrains engine is struggling.
“This is the first time for a while that we’ve had a big aero change and a big engine change happening at the same time. And it seems that most of the emphasis, from what I’ve heard, is around engine performance — not just out-and-out horsepower, but the weight, the power delivery, and everything else, and where teams are struggling.”
The Formula One veteran then tipped new team Cadillac to be a “dark horse”, while also stressing how difficult it is to hit the ground running in the sport for new teams.
Topics: Formula 1, Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
Luke Davies