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After previously identifying George Russell as the favourite for the 2026 F1 title, James Hinchcliffe has explained why he has now changed his mind and predicted Max Verstappen to secure a fifth world title this year.
Despite Max Verstappen slamming F1’s new regulations, there’s no denying that Red Bull could once again be a contender for both championships this season.
A clear pecking order will be deciphered after the first round of the season in Australia, taking place this weekend at Albert Park.
While Aston Martin are worried about whether they can even qualify for the race, the rest of the grid are interested in seeing where they stack up against their ever-present rivals.
Ferrari are currently understood to have developed the strongest package out of the usual frontrunners, but Verstappen’s skillset offers something much more than the majority of the grid has in their locker.
- READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer warns Max Verstappen’s rivals that he can win in Melbourne with ‘no pace in the car’
What’s your podium prediction for the Australian Grand Prix? 🇦🇺
Let us know in the comments below!
Max Verstappen is now James Hinchcliffe’s favourite for the 2026 F1 title
In a discussion between James Hinchcliffe and Jolyon Palmer over their favourites for the upcoming 2026 season on the F1 Nation podcast, the former IndyCar star turned pundit revealed how he has now made a U-turn on his prior predictions.
Hinchcliffe previously highlighted Russell as one of his top three for the upcoming campaign, but shared how Verstappen is now his number one.
He said, “I had George six months ago when you were looking at how strong he ended the season and all the rumours about Mercedes.
“The reason I didn’t pick Max was the big question mark over the power unit, and I think that’s been answered well enough for me to say that I think Max gets number five.”
Mercedes were suggested to have been a step ahead of the competition for the new ruleset at the end of last year’s term, but pre-season testing has indicated that their on-grid rivals are actually in line, potentially superior, in the power unit side of things.
In particular, Red Bull’s new engine has been hailed by many in the F1 paddock, with the fact that it is the team’s first foray into power unit development making it all the more impressive.
Even Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has shown signs of worry regarding Red Bull’s pace, issuing a verdict at the first week of pre-season testing in Bahrain that the Austrian constructor had created the fastest car on the grid.
- READ MORE: Damon Hill warns Red Bull about Max Verstappen ‘psychologically’ crushing Isack Hadjar in 2026
Do you expect the Australian Grand Prix winners’ curse to continue in 2026?
Lando Norris won in Melbourne in 2025, but where will he finish in 2026?
Both James Hinchcliffe and Jolyon Palmer think Charles Leclerc will win the 2026 Australian Grand Prix
In their predictions for the upcoming race weekend in Melbourne, both Hinchcliffe and Palmer agree that Charles Leclerc is best-placed to visit the top step of the podium.
The former Renault F1 driver gave his guess first, saying, “I’m going to say Leclerc wins the race on Sunday.
“Mercedes have had some reliability concerns, so I don’t know if that will play out or not, but I think Leclerc will win. Let’s just go normal race: Russell hounds him, but can’t pass in second. And Max is third, dragging the Red Bull to the podium.”
The Canadian agreed, adding his thoughts, “So I had Leclerc to win as well, just because the car’s quick, and I still think that those, you know, that start advantage is going to be huge.
“I do think that the teams still all believe Red Bull has an energy management advantage to a certain extent.
“That could be highlighted at a place like Melbourne. So I’ve got Max on the podium. And then, yeah, it’s Russell or Lando in P3 for me.”
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