Here's the biggest storyline for each of the 11 Formula 1 teams heading into the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Formula 1 is back at the Sepang International Circuit for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Drivers will love the overtaking opportunities here, but they might have to navigate the tricky weather conditions throughout the weekend.
And then there are the challenges that each team has to answer in their own garage. Here are the key storylines for all 11 teams in the upcoming race weekend at Malaysia.
Mercedes - Has Russell found his groove?
After a perfect weekend in the streets of Baku. George Russell is bent on extending his momentum to Sepang. Has he finally found his footing and can he realistically bring the championship fight to Kimi Antonelli? Formula 1 fans are surely salivating for a proper championship battle between the two Mercedes drivers.
Ferrari - What happened with their mid-season upgrades?
The last three races haven't been on par with the Scuderia's expectations. Their upgrades don't seem to be working, and they've only totalled 40 points from Monza to Baku. Ferrari must deliver a strong weekend at Sepang, especially with McLaren closing the gap in the Teams' Standings.
McLaren - Can Piastri bounce back?
A lock-up and a spin at Baku stripped Oscar Piastri of a golden opportunity to beat his teammate for once. Lando Norris was an innocent casualty of a reckless Franco Colapinto divebomb, but Piastri also finished without any point in that same weekend. The Australian driver must do something at Sepang to help him keep in touch with his McLaren teammate.
Red Bull - Can Max win his first race of the season?
In Baku, Max Verstappen came so agonizingly close to his first win in 2026. He's been knocking on the door for a while now, having finished on the podium in six of the last eight races. The Dutchman was the last winner here at Sepang. Can he repeat in 2026?
Racing Bulls - Can they keep it clean this time?
Their collision at Baku spelled out an underlying storyline in the Racing Bulls garage: Who can impress more and which driver gets to keep his seat for 2027? The team has yet to confirm its driver lineup for next year, and Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad are out to prove that they both deserve their spot on the main grid. Still, they're currently in a midfield battle against Alpine, and they can't repeat the points they lost last weekend at Baku.
Alpine - Can both drivers move past Baku?
Franco Colapinto's restart crash in Baku took out his own teammate, Pierre Gasly. The reckless overtake attempt didn't just strip Alpine of crucial midfield points, but Colapinto now carries a five-place grid penalty to Sepang. They need all the points they can get, so both drivers need to be more efficient this time around.
Haas - Can they build on their recent gains?
Now that Esteban Ocon has confirmed his departure after 2026, Haas can focus on the performance of their car, which has recently made significant gains. They're coming off a productive weekend where both Ocon and Oliver Bearman finished in points. The goal is now to build on their momentum and extend their midfield lead over Audi.
Audi - How can they make their upgrades work?
Audi brought in a 14-point upgrade package to Baku, but they failed to score a single point. Meanwhile, their closest midfield rival, Haas, extended their seventh-place lead to 10 points. Can Audi figure out how to make their recent upgrades work at Sepang?
Williams - Can they bring the fight to Audi?
Williams saved their upgrade package for the Azerbaijan GP, and their patience paid off with Carlos Sainz Jr. finishing in the points. With 12 points overall, they trail Audi by five points for eighth place. The goal for Williams this weekend is to score more points and make a serious push for that eighth place.
Aston Martin - Can they finish the race?
Amidst all the promises they made to improve the car's performance, Aston Martin saw both of their drivers retire at Baku. We just want to see Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll take the checkered flag on Sunday. That should be the team's bare minimum goal.
Cadillac - Can they take advantage of the changing weather conditions?
Hot and humid, with real chances of isolated thunderstorms. The weather at Sepang presents tricky conditions for struggling teams like Cadillac to take advantage of. If they get their strategy right, this could be the golden opportunity for either Sergio Perez or Valtteri Bottas to finally score a point.
