Which F1 driver is under the most pressure heading into the 2026 season?

F1 drivers spend their lives in a pressure cooker, saddled with the weight of expectation, intense scrutiny and the need to perform on the limit whenever they get into their racing car.

If they cannot produce results, they will be unceremoniously replaced; there are only 22 seats on the grid, and they are highly coveted.

But, which full-time driver in the F1 paddock is under the most pressure heading into the 2026 season?

Broken down into three heats, with the drivers separated into the expected front runners, the midfield, and the pretenders (including the drivers from F1's newest teams), the winners and second-place finishers from each heat will then enter the final.

First, there are the eight drivers from the top four teams in F1, from drivers' champion Lando Norris through to Isack Hadjar, who will be aiming to finally break the curse of the second Red Bull seat.

Among them are the likes of Oscar Piastri, who will want to go one better in 2026 after falling painfully short of winning the crown, despite leading the standings for most of the year; Lewis Hamilton, who is coming off the worst season of his F1 career and needs to find a way to turn his fortunes at Ferrari around; and Kimi Antonelli, who is entering his second campaign with amped-up expectations after an up-and-down maiden voyage.

So, out of the eight drivers from the leading four F1 teams, which is under the most pressure? Article continues below the first poll.

The Midfield

The second heat comprises the drivers whose teams finished between fifth and eighth in the 2025 F1 constructors' standings.

From Alex Albon, who finished best of the rest (and ahead of the Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda), to Esteban Ocon, who found himself outperformed by his highly-regarded rookie team-mate Oliver Bearman.

Between those two lies the likes of Liam Lawson, who will need to prove it was the right decision to keep him at Racing Bulls over Tsunoda; the man who effectively replaces the Japanese driver and is the only rookie on the grid, Arvid Lindblad; and Fernando Alonso, who continues to fend off father time to prove he can win again in F1.

So, out of the eight drivers from the midfield F1 teams, which is under the most pressure? Article continues below the second poll.

The Pretenders

Perhaps the most interesting, if not eclectic, heat of the three: the drivers from Alpine, with its new Mercedes power units; Audi, with the former Sauber entry now a full works team; and newcomers Cadillac.

From Nico Hulkenberg, who will be looking to stave off his highly talented team-mate in Gabriel Bortoleto, to the returnees of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, which has already been dubbed the battle of the second drivers, after their time supporting Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, respectively.

Between that quartet lies the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto. The former believes he is capable of fighting for titles, so long as he goes into battle with machinery capable of doing the job, and the latter will need to continue proving himself worthy of his seat in F1.

So, out of the six drivers from the pretender F1 teams, which is under the most pressure? Make sure you vote in all three of the latest polls by RacingNews365!