Mercedes seal 2026 F1 titles as top four teams converge

Mercedes have clinched both the drivers' and constructors' championships in Formula 1 with three rounds remaining, after a season that began with Mercedes well ahead following the switch to new regulations. The second half of the year has told a different story, with all four leading teams taking turns to shine through a series of fast-tracked upgrades.

Lando Norris won in Hungary and the Netherlands and should also have won in Madrid, while Ferrari enjoyed a strong spell with one win each for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Red Bull also recovered considerable ground, enabling Max Verstappen to take three wins over the past five races. Since the summer break, Mercedes outscored Red Bull by a single point.

The gap between the leading teams is clearest in qualifying, with the top four covered by three tenths in Singapore and Mexico. At the Spanish Grand Prix in Madring, the top five qualified within 0.195s across four different teams.