The new Formula 1 season begins this week at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, and Haas arrives with one of the grid’s most exciting stories.
The team starts its 11th season in the sport with a new title partner, a reworked identity as the TGR Haas F1 Team, and a car that showed promise during pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman return for a second year together as F1 begins a major technical reset. New rules bring fresh chassis designs and power units, which could reshape the competitive order.
Early testing results suggest Haas may be better placed than expected heading into the first race weekend.
Here is ReadMotorsport’s preview for Haas’s 2026 campaign.
From Moneygram to Toyota: A rebrand with real substance
The most visible change for Haas this season sits in its name. The team now races as TGR Haas F1 Team after Toyota Gazoo Racing replaced Moneygram as title partner.
This marks the first time a Toyota brand has been closely tied to a Formula 1 team since the manufacturer left the sport in 2009.
The partnership goes beyond branding. Toyota Gazoo Racing will support Haas with design, technical and manufacturing work. Haas offers its own technical knowledge and commercial reach in return.
The biggest gain may come from infrastructure. Toyota is helping the team add manufacturing support and a driver-in-loop simulator at the team’s base in Banbury. Haas expects the simulator to run by May or June 2026 and use it for car setup and race planning.
Testing: A genuine Bahrain standout, not just in mileage
Haas left the Bahrain tests with strong numbers and growing attention from the paddock.
Bearman set a best lap of 1:33.487 on the final day of the second test. The time placed him ninth overall across all drivers. It also put the VF-26 ahead of several teams with larger budgets.
Across both tests, the team completed 794 laps, or 4,297 km, around the Bahrain circuit. That was the second-highest lap total among all teams.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu said the team completed a strong run program and improved its understanding of the car each day. The team also reported a few reliability issues with the Ferrari power unit.
In the first Bahrain test, Bearman finished eighth and Ocon ninth on the combined timing sheets. As a constructor, Haas ranked fifth overall, ahead of Alpine, Audi, Williams, Racing Bulls, Cadillac and Aston Martin.
Haas 2026 technical snapshot
| Feature | Detail | Impact |
| Power unit | Ferrari O67/6, turbocharged 1.6L V6 hybrid | 50/50 ICE and electric power split on 100% sustainable fuel; proven Ferrari hardware |
| Chassis | VF-26, carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite | Smaller, lighter and narrower under the 2026 rules; independent suspension front and rear |
| Transmission | Ferrari servo-controlled hydraulic limited-slip differential | Eight-speed sequential gearbox with Ferrari steering and cockpit instrumentation |
| Active aero | Standard 2026 specification front and rear wings | Moveable wings replace DRS; new winglet treatment on front wing endplates |
| Driver lineup | Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman | Second season together; blends a proven points-scorer with an exciting emerging talent |
| Testing mileage | 794 laps (4,297 km) across Bahrain tests | Second-highest lap total among all teams in the two Bahrain tests |
Driver dynamics: The quiet pairing with the loudest potential
The Haas lineup combines youth and experience.
Bearman showed steady progress during his rookie season in 2025. He improved considerably in the second half of the year and secured his best career result of P4 in the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix. The Briton said that the experience of learning many F1 tracks for the first time in his rookie season should help him perform better in year two.
Ocon provides stability as a proven F1 race winner. The French driver has years of experience and often extracts points when others struggle. He said the team has grown since he joined and continues to improve its tools and knowledge.
The bookies’ view: Long shots priced for the lower midfield
Betting markets still treat Haas as an outsider in the championship fight.
According to Bet365, the team sits at 200/1 for the Constructors’ Championship. That places it behind Williams at 50/1 and Alpine at 40/1 among midfield teams.
The drivers face similar odds. Bearman sits at 200/1 for the Drivers’ Championship while Ocon sits at 250/1.
| Category | Selection | Odds |
| Drivers’ champion | Oliver Bearman | 200/1 |
| Drivers’ champion | Esteban Ocon | 250/1 |
| Constructors’ champion | Haas | 200/1 |
| Points finish market (Australian GP) | Ocon / Bearman | 40/1 |
ReadMotorsport tip: The race-specific market may hold a lot more value for Haas compared to the outright market. Both Haas drivers appear at 40/1 to score points at the Australian Grand Prix. The Melbourne race often produces chaos and retirements. A reliable car and steady drivers can move into the top ten when others drop out.
Haas verdict
Haas begins the 2026 season in one of its strongest positions in recent years. Testing results showed real pace, not just reliability. Bearman’s top-ten lap time and the team’s high mileage suggest the VF-26 starts the season in good shape.
The Toyota partnership also strengthens the team’s future. The new simulator and added manufacturing support could improve development during the season.
The biggest challenge remains resources. Larger teams can upgrade faster during a 24-race year.
ReadMotorsport prediction: Haas will be the surprise package of the opening rounds, with Bearman in particular capable of springing an unexpected result when conditions suit. The team should finish comfortably ahead of Aston Martin, Cadillac and Racing Bulls over the course of the season, with a sixth or seventh-place Constructors’ finish a realistic target. If the Toyota simulator comes online as planned mid-season and feeds useful data back to the design office in Banbury, Haas could even threaten the established order in the lower midfield by the second half of the year. A Bearman podium is not impossible if chaos strikes at the right moment.
