P11: Aston Martin

Last week, I put out a polite warning that things “could very well get worse” for Aston Martin, and have they ever. After neither car could complete the Chinese Grand Prix, Adrian Newey stepped down as team principal. He will remain with the team in a technical performance role, but this might as well be a white flag for AM’s 2026 season.

Oscar Piastri has yet to record a lap this season. Neither McLaren made it to the starting grid, and it wasn't a team issue. Each car had a seperate mechanical issue. At least if it was a team error, it’s a quick fix, but now both cars need to be checked thoroughly, especially after they looked fine in qualifying. Until Piastri actually starts a race, let alone completes a first lap, McLaren will remain in the toilet of irrelevance, spiralling down until they are eventually flushed away.

Audio took a step backward this week. While Gabriel Bortoleto recorded a couple of points in Australia, he failed to even start in China. Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg completed his first race of the season but finished P11. Audi has come back down to Earth after an excellent debut. They will need to keep working to find a consistent pace if they want to continue competing for points on a race to race basis.

Williams has real potential, as we’ve noted all season. Carlos Sainz Jr. just recorded their first points of the season, which is a massive boost; however, Alex Albon failed to start the race. Much like Audi, Williams has proven it can compete for points; they now need to execute.

P7: Red Bull Racing

Things are bad at Red Bull. Yes, Isack Hadjar recorded his first points of the season, but that was overshadowed by the fact that Max Verstappen didn't finish the race. Verstappen has voiced his frustration with the team and F1 as a whole and is already making alternate plans for 2027, as we reported last week. Red Bull better get it together, or they will lose a superstar.

Unlike the other teams we’ve reviewed thus far, Cadilaic made positive strides with both of its cars; they both finished the race, and saw both drivers improve their finishing positions from the last race. This is our biggest jump of the week, and enjoy it, Cadillac fans, because once other teams figure it out, the Caddies will be back in the basement. However, let’s give credit where it’s due.

The Racing Bulls continue to climb our Power Rankings and prove that we had them ranked too low to start the season. Arvid Lindblad completed his second consecutive Grand Prix, and while that doesn’t sound impressive, let me remind you that he’s a rookie and that there have already been 12 retirements combined across two races. Teammate Liam Lawson delivered under pressure after a disappointing 2025 and a poor start to 2026. His P7 is the team's best result of the season.

Ollie Bearman was the fastest man on the track in China that wasn’t in a Mercedes or Ferrari, finishing P5. He improved on his performance in Australia and is primed to continue his breakout season. The same can’t be said for Esteban Ocon, who has yet to record a point this season. Either one of two things is happening: either Bearman is overperforming at an astronomical level, in a terrible car. Or, Ocon is significantly underperforming in a good car. While the truth may lie in the center, there’s no lie in saying Haas needs to fix the issues with the second car.

Alpine had both drivers score points in China, and while the cars are performing, they apparently have more to give. Pierre Gasly has scored points in consecutive races and is anchoring this team with the consistency they have long strived for. It seems Aston Martin could learn a thing or two about rebuilding a racing program over the course of a season.

The Ferraris have proven they’re the fastest cars off the line, and have announced new upgrades coming for the Miami GP after the imposed break due to conflicts in the Middle East. For now, they will play second fiddle to Mercedes, but the script may soon flip.

Kimi Antonelli was the story in Shanghai; he set the record as the youngest driver ever to win a Pole for a F1 Grand Prix and went on to win the race by more than five seconds. While George Russell reamins the man to beat, Mercedes has established a 1-2 punch that rivals the best in racing.