The classification of promoted and underperforming drivers at the start of the 2026 season continues. Today, we look at those who have struggled during the opening three rounds due to personal errors, lack of performance from their cars, or bad luck with reliability issues.
Regardless of the causes, every driver mentioned will need strong results in the upcoming races if they want to be remembered positively at the end of the championship. Everything is still open.
Drivers underperforming due to circumstances beyond their control
Max Verstappen: the driver everyone is talking about due to possible retirement speculation. The Dutchman’s situation is quite unstable. He dislikes this version of Formula 1 more than anyone else, and Red Bull is in deep trouble. The car is overweight and it is impossible for drivers to find an optimal balance. In addition, the completely new power unit is often affected by reliability issues. The team is struggling, and Verstappen appears increasingly convinced he might be ready to leave the ship.
Isack Hadjar: the new arrival in the official team has shown plenty of strong qualities. The Paris-born driver will likely be the first since Daniel Ricciardo to break the “curse” of the Red Bull second seat. His Australian weekend and qualifying performances so far have been impressive, but in the race he often loses the sharpness he shows on Saturdays. The RB22 is a midfield car and clearly not at last year’s level. However, after three races both he and Verstappen are behind a Haas in the drivers’ standings — unacceptable for Red Bull.
Lando Norris: the reigning world champion is one of the drivers who has completed the fewest kilometres in the new cars, together with his teammate. Unexpected issues and reliability problems have been constant. In Australia he finished fifth, far behind the top four. In China he did not start the Sunday race, while in Japan he was behind his teammate from start to finish, despite Oscar Piastri starting the race strongly. He definitely needs more luck, but also the consistency of the 2025 version of Norris.
Gabriel Bortoleto: the Brazilian has had three very mixed weekends. A points finish in the first ever Audi Formula 1 race is a remarkable achievement. However, poor starts have prevented him from converting strong qualifying performances in the following events. This is why he is included among those “underperforming due to circumstances beyond control”: he needs more Sunday consistency, but until Audi fixes its launch issues, scoring points again will be extremely difficult.
Sergio Perez: the Cadillac driver was surprisingly quick in Suzuka, finishing the race not lapped for the first time this season. Considering the team’s embryonic state, this is a strong step forward. The pace is there, within the limits of the car, but mistakes such as the first-lap contact with his teammate in China or the aggressive defence on Liam Lawson in Australia are completely avoidable. The risk of failing to finish races due to such errors is high, which places him among the underperformers.
Lance Stroll: a familiar name in the underperformers section. The AMR26 is the slowest car on the grid, with no doubt about that, but Lance does not seem fully engaged in the project and lacks the optimism for improvement shown by his teammate. His positive comments after competing in the GT World Challenge suggest a possible exit from Formula 1.
Fernando Alonso: the lion never gives up and always tries to extract the maximum. With such an uncompetitive car, miracles are impossible. However, Fernando cannot be fully satisfied with his performances at the start of the season, especially in Japan. In Suzuka he missed FP1, yet Stroll was ahead of him until his retirement, despite it being one of Alonso’s favourite tracks.
Drivers underperforming in comparison with their teammates
Alexander Albon: the Williams driver has lost a lot of motivation. The overweight car does not allow him to push, and he is not fond of the new technical regulations. There are many complaints to the team, and so far he has not delivered at the level of Carlos Sainz. If he wants to replicate last year’s performances, Albon must stay positive and fully focused on driving.
Nico Hülkenberg: the German’s performances are not poor, but he lacks the extra spark needed to reach the top 10. Audi’s only points so far came from Gabriel Bortoleto in Australia. In Suzuka, Hülkenberg looked competitive in practice, but on Saturday his teammate beat him by a significant margin. He finished 11th in the race, ahead of the Brazilian but still outside the points. A step forward is required.
Franco Colapinto: despite a significantly more competitive car compared to 2025, the Argentine is still struggling. Pierre Gasly, clearly one of the improved drivers, is consistently scoring points, while Colapinto barely reaches Q2 and fights at the back of the grid on Sundays. In his case too, more is needed if he wants to remain in Formula 1, as several young talents are ready to replace him. His popularity in South America is not enough.
Esteban Ocon: the comparison with teammate Oliver Bearman is disastrous. His only points came in Suzuka with decent management, but with many overtaking difficulties. Race pace is often good, but qualifying performance on Saturday and lack of aggression on Sunday are keeping him in the lower positions. The start of 2026 mirrors the end of 2025: at the moment, Bearman is clearly superior.
Valtteri Bottas: unlike Perez, the Finn falls into the category of drivers who are underperforming but still need redemption. It is true that the American team is new to the paddock and the car is naturally far from midfield pace. However, Bottas has shown limited raw speed, both on Saturday and Sunday, especially in Japan. A stronger race pace is needed.
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