Formula 1 is back and its heading to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix to kick off the second half of the season.
But before we dive back into the action, let's rewind and refresh our memory on all the key talking points from the first half.
With the new generation of cars and the rules and regulations that came with it at the start of 2026, fans, teams and drivers all headed into the unknown and had no idea how the season would play out.
- 2026 F1 midterm grades: Antonelli's A+ edges Hamilton's A-
- F1 2026 results: Winners, podium, final positions from every race
Lewis Hamilton's first win with Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton signed for Ferrari from Mercedes in a huge blockbuster move at the start of 2025.
The seven-time world champion was unhappy for the most part of his first season in red and even called himself "useless" and that Ferrari "probably need to change driver."
This time round, the Englishman has got off to a much better start and is currently second in the title championship, 50 points adrift from Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Hamilton had been on the podium three times before he took his maiden win for Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June with an emphatic drive.
It marked a significant moment for both Hamilton and Ferrari as he continues to chase another win.
Aston Martin's struggles
Aston Martin employed design legend Adrian Newey to help lead the team to success, but he was slightly late in joining.
The team's overall aim was to be within grasp of the front runners during the season, due to the heavy investment into facilities, paired with new regulations. On paper, the team were in a strong position to be a success, but instead it has been plagued with all sorts of issues.
The new Honda power unit has been a nightmare in its first season together as its drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll suffered severe vibration issues and couldn't complete more than 25 laps of a grand prix.
Aston Martin managed to reduce this, but realised that the power unit wasn't all to blame as there were also aerodynamic correlation failures and an overweight chassis.
For the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, it brought a major 16-part upgrade to reduce its issues, but it will be even more telling on its potential improvements at the Dutch Grand Prix as it its due to bring an upgraded power unit.
Kimi Antonelli is Mercedes' main man, not George Russell?
Mercedes were definitely going into the 2026 season as the team to beat, but no one quite predicted the intense battle that was going to go on between its drivers Antonelli and George Russell.
Russell was labelled as the man to beat as he had more experience than his 19-year-old teammate and all the characteristics to become a world champion.
But Antonelli has come along and risen to the top, without much falter. The Italian took five consecutive career victories and has been on the podium in every race apart from two.
Russell was hit with a run of bad luck with various reliability problems, timing of Safety Cars, and an opening lap collision that took him out of the race.
There is still a long way to go in the championship, but the fight will be even more thrilling after the summer break.
Max Verstappen's general unhappiness
Max Verstappen made it clear from the start of the season how unhappy he was with the new generation of cars, likening them to "Mario-Kart" and "Formula E on steroids."
The four-time world champion was even considering retirement after just three races and said he "wasn't enjoying the sport."
Off the back of this, there has also been rumours that the Dutchman might be leaving Red Bull to go elsewhere, but this is all speculated. He has an exit clause in his contract he can trigger in October should he want to race elsewhere in 2027.
The team has brought recent upgrades to the last few rounds, but he's currently fourth in the title standings and has been unable to seal a win this season.
Racing Bulls vs. Alpine midfield fight
Let's not forget about the team battles, known as the constructors' championship. It's absolutely vital for teams during an F1 season to get as many points as possible at the end of each race weekend.
The more points you end up with, the more money you get, which can be millions for the sake of one position at the end of the season.
The top four teams Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull are off into the distance fighting it out, while Racing Bulls and Alpine are in its own battle in fifth and sixth respectively, with the rest of the grid far behind.
Racing Bulls are on 66 points as it stands, with Alpine on 61. Both teams have traded momentum throughout the first half of the season, with a point separating Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson and Alpine's Pierre Gasly.
British rookie Arvid Lindblad is on 23 points for Racing Bulls, while Gasly's teammate Franco Colapinto is four points behind.
The constructors' championship is a battle that can go down to the wire, so it will be crucial for the team's to keep grabbing as many points as possible at every race.
Williams not keeping its promise
Team principal James Vowles made it clear last season that the team were stepping back from the 2025 car, and that its attention was turning entirely to the development of the 2026 car.
The team were hopeful that it would start having genuine competitiveness, but things went wrong early on.
It was the only team to miss the preseason shakedown test in Barcelona, losing valuable running time and it has spent the majority of the season playing catch-up to its competitors.
Its currently sitting ninth in the championship with 11 points and just above Aston Martin and new team Cadillac, but also below Audi, who came in new for the 2026 season as well.
