24 February 2026 10:00 (UTC)
Formula 1 is introducing vastly overhauled technical and engine regulations in 2026 in one of the biggest shake-ups in history – but that’s not all that’s new to our sport this year
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There’s a lot new to learn in Formula 1 this year, given the overhauled cars, new engines, and tweaked terminology. But what else do you need to keep an eye on throughout 2026? Let this be your handy guide to everything else that’s changed in the upcoming campaign, from fresh faces to new locations and even key scheduling changes.
Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix has been held at several locations across the course of the event’s distinguished history, most prominently at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. But while Barcelona remains part of the 2026 calendar, under the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix name, the Spanish Grand Prix has moved to the country’s capital city, Madrid. The 22-turn 3.4-mile Madring circuit is being constructed around the IFEMA Exhibition Centre, using a combination of public roads and private land. Madring’s centrepiece appears to be the right-hander of Turn 12, called Monumental, which is set to be 550 metres long with a banking angle of 24%. Madring is due to debut on the weekend of 11-13 September.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will mark its 10th anniversary in 2026, with the quirky Baky City Circuit regularly throwing up challenges for the field. This year, Azerbaijan will join the Las Vegas Grand Prix as one of two races on the calendar to be run on a Saturday, owing to the timing of a national holiday on the Sunday. That means Free Practice will take place in Baku on Thursday, Qualifying on Friday, ahead of the Grand Prix on Saturday, 26 September.
The F1 Sprint schedule has been given something of a shake-up for 2026. While there will still be six Sprint events, only Shanghai and Miami have been retained from the 2025 roster. Sprint racing returns to Britain for the first time since its inaugural running in 2021, while there are debuts for the format in Canada, the Netherlands, and Singapore. It’ll be the sole running of Sprint around the dunes of Zandvoort, as this year’s event will be the swansong for the Dutch Grand Prix.
Formula 1’s 10 teams have become 11 in 2026 as the Championship welcomes a new arrival. For the first time since Haas’ entry in 2016, there will be a new name above a pit garage, as Cadillac makes its foray into Formula 1. They’ve entrusted a couple of familiar faces for their first campaign in Formula 1, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez – who raced for McLaren in 2013 – returning to the grid after a year on the sidelines. The addition of two cars also means the Qualifying format will be tweaked, with six cars now eliminated after Q1, and a further six knocked out after Q2.
There will be a total of five Power Unit manufacturers under the new regulations in 2026. For the first time in Formula 1 history, Audi will compete with its own works team, having taken over Sauber, while Ford returns after a 22-year absence to link up with Red Bull Powertrains. They join Ferrari, Honda, and our Power Unit Partner Mercedes High-Performance Powertrains.
The majority of Formula 1 teams have opted for stability in their driver line-ups, following several changes and the arrival of a few new faces in 2025. But there will still be one rookie on the grid in the shape of Arvid Lindblad. The 18-year-old Briton will become one of the youngest drivers in Formula 1 history when he lines up this year with Racing Bulls.
From 2026, there’s now a regulation requiring 55% of a Formula 1 car's surface area to be covered in paint or vinyl, to reduce the amount of carbon panels exposed and save weight. Whether teams opt to add more colour, a striking black-and-grey colourway, or a white canvas, this will doubtlessly yield more interesting liveries.
To find out more about the upcoming regulation changes and to follow the build-up to the 2026 Formula 1 season, stay close to the official McLaren Racing website, app and social media channels, where we’ll be covering all of the action.
