The 2026 Formula 1 season is nearly right here and there are a lot of adjustments for followers to get used to on the first race in Australia.
From daring new rules to an eleventh workforce on the grid, BBC Sport breaks down what to anticipate this yr, earlier than the season-opener in Melbourne, from 6-8 March.
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Will ‘ridiculously advanced’ guidelines be successful?
Ferrari’s upside aspect rear wing, described as a take a look at merchandise by the workforce, was solely used briefly throughout testing [Getty Images]
F1 is moving into the unknown with some of the largest rule adjustments the game has ever seen, with the facility unit, chassis, tyres and gas all new for 2026.
Cars are actually smaller and extra environmentally pleasant, with engines which have a close to 50-50 break up between electrical and inner combustion energy – and use totally sustainable fuels.
However, there is concern inside F1 about the degree of energy management required, and the way that may have an effect on driving kinds throughout qualifying and races.
The drag discount system (DRS) has been changed with overtake mode, which provides drivers a burst of additional electrical vitality when they’re inside one second of the automobile forward at a detection level, sometimes the ultimate nook.
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DRS not exists as a result of of lively aero, which permits each the rear and entrance wings to regulate angles on the straights to cut back drag and to extend downforce in the corners.
During the second week of pre-season testing, Ferrari turned heads with their rotating ‘the wrong way up’ rear wing when the automobile’s straight-line mode was activated.
Opinions have been combined on the brand new vehicles and rules over the six days of testing in Bahrain.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen stated they have been “like Formula E on steroids” as a result of of the engine’s elevated calls for for vitality administration, whereas seven-time title winner Lewis Hamilton commented that the brand new guidelines make F1 “ridiculously complex”, though he did say the vehicles have been “more fun” to drive.
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Brit Lindblad the one rookie
British teenager Arvid Lindblad is the only rookie driver this yr and is partnering Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls.
The 18-yr-outdated, who has a Swedish father and a mom of Indian descent, entered the document books final yr when he grew to become the youngest winner in Formula 2 historical past, aged 17 years and 243 days.
He might be 18 years and 7 months outdated on 8 March, the day of the Australian Grand Prix, making him the fourth youngest F1 driver in historical past – behind Max Verstappen, Lance Stroll and Kimi Antonelli.
Barcelona v Madrid – F1 El Clasico
F1 will get its personal model of ‘El Clasico’ this season as Barcelona might be joined by Madrid in internet hosting races in Spain.
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The Spanish Grand Prix will now be held in the Spanish capital from 11-13 September on the Madring, a brand new function-constructed, 22-nook observe which makes use of each public roads and personal land.
Barcelona stays on the calendar for 2026 – renamed the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix and going down 12-14 June – however will then alternate with Belgium’s historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit until 2032.
Hadjar accepts Red Bull second seat problem
Isack Hadjar (left, with Max Verstappen) scored 51 factors and completed eleventh in the drivers’ championship in 2025 [Getty Images]
Isack Hadjar has been handed a promotion for 2026 following the departure of Yuki Tsunoda and can companion 4-time world champion Verstappen at Red Bull.
The 21-yr-outdated Frenchman spent his rookie season at sister workforce Racing Bulls and gained his maiden podium – a 3rd place on the Dutch Grand Prix.
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Hadjar’s first goal might be to get shut sufficient to Verstappen in order to share the factors load with the Dutchman.
The final time Verstappen was overwhelmed by a workforce-mate was on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April 2023, when Sergio Perez claimed victory and he completed runner-up.
Since then, nevertheless, the struggles of the second seat driver have endured, and Perez finally left the workforce on the finish of 2024.
Last yr, Lawson was given an opportunity to shine however the New Zealander was dropped again all the way down to Racing Bulls after solely two races and was swapped with Tsunoda.
Unfortunately, the Japanese driver fared no higher than those that had come earlier than him and he completed with 33 factors in the drivers’ championship, whereas Verstappen scored 421.
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Cadillac increase grid from 10 groups to 11
Red flags have been triggered for stoppages for each Cadillac drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas through the first three days of testing in Bahrain [Getty Images]
F1 welcomes its first begin-up entry on to the grid since Haas 10 years in the past with the arrival of fellow American workforce Cadillac.
Opting for the expertise of Mexican Perez and former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas – each a number of grands prix winners – Cadillac, who’re utilizing a Ferrari energy unit, had a combined pre-season testing, with a number of points right here and there that stored each drivers sat in the storage.
Team principal Graeme Lowdon, although, says followers mustn’t learn an excessive amount of into testing, as he is “extremely happy with the team [and] very, very happy with the platform that we’re building”.
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Audi are additionally newcomers in 2026, making their debut in the game having acquired the Swiss-based Sauber workforce.
The German outfit have determined to not play it secure in their first marketing campaign and have designed and constructed an in-home energy unit.
Drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg banked 357 laps between them on the closing Bahrain take a look at and there are hopes Audi might be aggressive in the midfield this yr.
Can Aston Martin and Honda iron out points?
During the primary week of testing, Canadian Lance Stroll claimed Aston Martin “look four seconds off top teams” [Getty Images]
Aston Martin are at first of their new works partnership with Honda, so perhaps a number of teething issues have been to be anticipated. However, the workforce’s working in Bahrain was a disappointment from start to finish.
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The energy unit by the Japanese producer suffered with reliability points and on the ultimate day of motion, the workforce referred to as time on their programme after solely six laps for Lance Stroll – an absence of engine elements curbing their knowledge gathering following Fernando Alonso’s battery-associated drawback the day earlier than.
Meanwhile, Red Bull, who’re producing their very own engine for the primary time in a cope with US automobile big Ford, carried out positively in Sakhir, and can probably be one of the highest 4 groups this season together with Mercedes, Ferrari and double constructors’ champions McLaren.
Silverstone hosts first dash since 2021
The British Grand Prix has been chosen as one of the six tracks to host a dash occasion this season, marking Silverstone’s return to the shorter race format for the primary time since its introduction in 2021.
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The Chinese and Miami Grands Prix are again for a 3rd consecutive yr, whereas Canada, Zandvoort in the Netherlands and Singapore are holding a dash race for the primary time.
This yr is the Dutch Grand Prix’s swansong in Formula 1 following its comeback in 2021 after a 36-yr absence.
The occasion has been promote-out every year as followers flock to see house hero Verstappen. But Zandvoort has struggled to make the weekend work financially and its departure from the calendar was confirmed in 2024.
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