The 2026 season has already delivered enough shocks and surprises through its opening three rounds to leave the paddock talking.
Mercedes has emerged with startling dominance, sweeping all three grands prix and establishing a 45-point cushion in the constructors' standings
Meanwhile, defending champions McLaren sit a distant third with just 46 points, trailing Mercedes by nearly 90 points after reliability woes and a significant pace deficit.
Red Bull's struggles have been equally dramatic, with Max Verstappen languishing in ninth place with only 12 points.
Aston Martin's pre-season crisis, marked by catastrophic reliability failures and just 65 laps in Barcelona testing, has translated into a nightmarish competitive campaign.
Yet Williams has also disappointed after channelling resources into 2026 development.
It raises the question - who has been the biggest surprise this year?
Have your say in our poll below! Comment if you have a different opinion!
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding as they look back on last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix! The trio discuss what F1 and the FIA must change across the five-week break and if Max Verstappen could actually retire.
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