Here are our F1 team rankings after the fourth race of the season.
The rankings are based on the currently expected levels of the cars. Performance could vary from track to track – and in different conditions – but these are the overall rankings as I see them at the moment.
1. Mercedes
They have the quickest car by far. In clear air, the Mercedes drivers have a half-second advantage to their nearest rivals. They still struggle with starts though, and sometimes they can’t make overtakes stick. This should improve with the updated engine regulations as of Miami. The reliability issues with Russell’s car are also a concern, but at the end of the day, there’s no doubt that this is the best team in F1, easily.
2. McLaren
It was only a matter of time before McLaren leapfrogged Ferrari. They have incredible aerodynamicists and engineers, capable of upgrading the car throughout the year, and now it seems like they are understanding the OP Mercedes engine a bit better. Based on their Miami performance, McLaren look like the second-fastest team. The question is whether or not they can catch up with Mercedes.
3. Ferrari
The acceleration of the SF-26 is insane, so we could see Leclerc and Hamilton lead a lot of races early on. They are also able to defend well in wheel-to-wheel racing. Sadly, Ferrari still struggle with strategies and there are just too many silly mistakes. We can only hope that they will improve in this area so they can take the fight to Mercedes on occasion.
4. Red Bull
Red Bull looked surprisingly quick in the early winter test. Then Hadjar had a promising qualifying in Australia, but since then, it’s been going downhill for Red Bull. Verstappen is very frustrated with the car performance (and with the rules in general), but he benefited from the most recent Red Bull update in Miami.
5. Alpine
The first race didn’t work out so well, but Alpine have looked very competitive in the last three race weekends. If a mid-level driver like Gasly can lead the midfield, it’s a sign that the car is strong. Alpine have a decent chassis and the best engine – so they should continue scoring plenty of points for the foreseeable future. Colapinto also stepped up in Miami, and if the two Alpine drivers can work on their consistency, the team might just finish fifth in the WCC.
6. Racing Bulls
They had an incredible car in 2025, essentially as fast as the Ferrari. I was skeptical about the new RBPT-Ford engine ahead of testing, but it actually looks decent, and Racing Bulls can certainly compete for points. Their performance is strongest in qualifying and in clean air. The team makes too many strategic mistakes in the races, and their drivers cannot maximise the potential of the VCARB-03. Perhaps Lindblad will develop well and score some good results later in the season.
7. Audi
Surprisingly solid start by Audi. Their engine looks decent and with plenty of room for improvement. They just lost their team principal, but the fundamentals are well in place. The Audi drivers have struggled with race starts, so that needs to be sorted out. There are some reliability issues as well, however, the pace is better than expected. Audi should improve as the season progresses and ultimately they may score more points than Racing Bulls.
8. Haas
As always, we know Haas will be found somewhere in the midfield. The only question is where exactly. They’ve had decent seasons in 2024 and 2025, and they have an incredible young driver in Bearman. But Haas struggle with car development, due to the fact that they outsource almost everything, so their upside is limited. They have to maximise the points haul early in the season. Bearman is doing his part, Ocon is not.
9. Williams
For about a decade, they have been completely incapable of building a fast car. Last season, they scored some solid results, but mainly due to having two great drivers pushing the team forward. They were quickly out-developed by Racing Bulls, Haas and Sauber. Not a good sign. And despite using the Mercedes engine, Williams are at the back of the midfield this year. The chassis is overweight and the aero packages are underwhelming, so things are not looking good. But perhaps there’s room for some improvement. At least both of the drivers finished in the points in Miami.
10. Aston Martin
With major engine issues, Aston Martin are having a terrible season. When the car is running, it looks faster than Cadillac, but their drivers can barely complete a race distance due to various issues. Over time, Aston Martin could have some potential because of Adrian Newey’s design skills, but right now things are looking bleak. There are some fundamental issues with the leadership of this team: Lawrence Stroll’s strategy is to overpay for old, established names, and it’s not working out. Aston Martin are equal to the Toyota team of the 2000s – investing a fortune into the team with nothing to show for it.
11. Cadillac
The new American team seems to lack upside in all departments. With Ferrari engines, they at least won’t break down every race, but I would be very surprised if their drivers score any points by merit. They are just too far behind.
