Both of these teams were midfield finishers during last season. The Racing Bulls had an exceptional season despite constant changes throughout the year. Rookies from both teams also showed strong potential. The Formula One (F1) 2026 season introduces sweeping new regulation changes.
This is a crucial year in the sport’s history. This F1 2026 team preview looks at how these teams have performed so far with their new cars, how the driver dynamics shape up, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. How the 2026 F1 engine regulations work and how these teams are dealing with them.
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Racing Bulls F1 2025 Season Recap
Calling the 2025 season a roller-coaster ride for Racing Bulls would be an understatement. The team made headlines for frequent changes in drivers and team management, but also secured a podium finish. Racing Bulls ended the season sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, establishing themselves as a solid midfield outfit.
Before the start of the season, Liam Lawson received a surprise promotion to Racing Bulls. Rookie Isack Hadjar was paired with Yuki Tsunoda. After the Chinese Grand Prix, Lawson was moved back to Racing Bulls, and Tsunoda was promoted. Following the British Grand Prix, Christian Horner departed Red Bull, and Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies was promoted to Red Bull, with Alan Permane taking charge at Racing Bulls.
Despite the lack of stability in roles, the team delivered consistent results. Isack Hadjar secured his first podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, marking the team’s best result in recent years. Both drivers scored points regularly, though Hadjar often outperformed Lawson.
Overall, the 2025 Racing Bulls season was impressive, given the constant upheaval. Team principal Alan Permane managed to extract results, and Hadjar earned a well-deserved promotion to the senior team by the end of the year.
Haas F1 2025 Season Recap
Haas entered the 2025 season with an all-new driver lineup, announcing Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman ahead of the year. The team finished eighth in the Constructors’ Championship with 79 points.
Points largely came through opportunistic performances and favourable race scenarios rather than outright pace. Rookie Oliver Bearman often outperformed the more experienced Ocon and narrowly missed a podium with a fourth-place finish at the Mexico Grand Prix. Ocon showed consistency, but his performances were frequently overshadowed by setbacks such as qualifying penalties.
The Haas VF-25 was an evolution of the previous year’s car, retaining Ferrari-derived suspension elements and focusing on aerodynamic tweaks to improve efficiency. Bearman emerged as a significant talent, showing clear signs of a promising future.
2026 F1 News: Racing Bulls, New Regulations, and Ford Powertrains
The biggest news ahead of 2026 is a change in the Racing Bulls driver lineup. Former Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar was promoted to the senior Red Bull team, and the squad announced Swedish-British prospect Arvid Lindblad as Liam Lawson’s new teammate.
On the technical side, 2026 marks the first time both Red Bull and Racing Bulls will manufacture in-house powertrains with Ford’s consultation. This signals the American manufacturer’s return to Formula One after more than 20 years.
The new car, the VCARB03, is the first Racing Bulls car built under the 2026 F1 regulations. It runs the Red Bull Ford Powertrains RBPT-Ford V6 turbo-hybrid, with the 2026 F1 power unit rules mandating a 50/50 split between combustion and electric power.
Ahead of official pre-season testing in Bahrain, teams participated in a private Barcelona shakedown. Racing Bulls completed all scheduled runs without major issues. Team management highlighted the reliability of both the VCARB03 chassis and the new Ford-backed power unit.
2026 F1 News: Haas, Toyota Partnership and VF-26 Development
Haas announced a significant identity change following its expanded partnership with Toyota, rebranding as Toyota Gazoo Racing Haas. The team confirmed a multi-year technical cooperation agreement between the two brands.
Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman will continue as race drivers, while former Alpine driver Jack Doohan joins as reserve. Haas reported over 400 laps of running, indicating solid reliability from their Ferrari power unit.
Early feedback suggests overtaking remains challenging under the new regulations. Both drivers reported difficulty in following and passing other cars. The VF-26 runs under revised F1 2026 aerodynamic rules with reduced downforce and drag. According to unofficial sources, the team faced minor reliability issues early on, but these were resolved quickly.
2026 Racing Bulls Drivers: Lawson vs Lindblad in Formula 1
Liam Lawson has a limited but notable Formula One career so far. Last year, he joined the Red Bull senior team but was demoted after two races. He responded with resilience and has shown he can extract results when conditions suit him. Lawson displays measured aggression, strong corner exits, and effective tyre management, key traits in midfield battles.
Arvid Lindblad boasts an impressive junior career, becoming the youngest Formula Two race winner. He is known for adapting quickly as he progresses through different categories each year.
He has demonstrated strong race pace and qualifying speed. During Barcelona testing, his lap times were competitive and at times quicker than Lawson’s.
Lawson is expected to be the senior and likely number-one driver, and provide development feedback and race-day leadership. However, Lindblad’s talent means the balance could shift quickly, especially given Red Bull’s long-standing policy of prioritising performance over seniority.
2026 Haas F1 Drivers: Ocon vs Bearman Explained
Haas pairs experience with raw talent. Esteban Ocon brings years of F1 knowledge, while Oliver Bearman is widely seen as a potential future championship contender. Last season, Bearman edged Ocon in total points and qualifying, with closely matched race results overall.
Ocon was stronger in the first half of the season, regularly placing the car in solid grid positions. His form dipped later, as Bearman gained confidence. Ocon holds an advantage in experience and early-season tyre management, but generally lacks his teammate’s outright qualifying pace.
Bearman shows natural speed and confidence on single laps, extracting performance even from a midfield car. However, he still has room to improve, occasionally over-pushing and attracting penalties or DNFs.
As the senior driver, Ocon is trusted with development feedback, while Bearman continues to learn. That dynamic could change if trends from last season continue. Team principal Ayao Komatsu recently made his expectations clear.
“If you purely look at the sporting result, without going into details, for sure nobody’s satisfied with Esteban’s sporting result last year,” Komatsu said. “He’s up against a rookie, an amazing rookie, but Esteban has 10 years of F1 experience. He’s a race winner and a podium finisher, so we expected more from him.”
When combined with the signing of Jack Doohan as reserve driver, this does not bode well for Ocon’s long-term security.
2026 Formula 1 Season Outlook: Can Haas and Racing Bulls Lead the Midfield?
Both teams have the potential to establish themselves as strong midfield contenders. This marks the rookie season for Arvid Lindblad, while Oliver Bearman enters his sophomore year with a real opportunity to assert himself within Haas. With new regulations resetting the competitive order, 2026 offers a fresh start and a genuine chance for both teams to make a step forward.
