Lando Norris is the reigning World Drivers' Champion, while McLaren-Mercedes are the reigning World Constructors' Champions. The 2026 season features major regulation changes, including a revised power unit configuration and new active aerodynamics. Audi enters as a works team with its own power unit, having acquired Sauber in 2024. Cadillac makes its debut in the championship using Ferrari power units, marking the first time an eleventh team has competed since 2016. Honda, through its Honda Racing Corporation subsidiary, entered into an exclusive works team agreement with Aston Martin, supplying them with their own power unit after ending its relationship with Red Bull Racing. Ford returned to the sport for the first time since 2004, supporting Red Bull Powertrains in supplying power units to Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. Renault is no longer an engine supplier as Alpine switched to Mercedes power units.
Each team is required to enter at least two drivers, one for each of the two mandatory cars. All teams compete with tyres supplied by Pirelli. On four occasions throughout the season, each team must field a driver who has not competed in more than two races in one of the first two free practice sessions of a Grand Prix weekend.
Cadillac became the eleventh team, marking its first appearance in the series and the first new team on the grid since Haas in 2016. The team initially uses Ferrari power units and gearboxes, with a transition to a power unit developed in-house by its parent company, General Motors, in collaboration with TWG Motorsports, scheduled from the 2029 season. Audi entered the sport for the first time, having purchased the existing Sauber team in 2024. Audi's predecessor company Auto Union did compete in Grand Prix racing prior to World War II. The team raced in 2024 and 2025 as Kick Sauber, using Ferrari engines, before becoming the Audi factory team in 2026. Ferrari is supplying Haas and Cadillac as customer teams.
Ford returned to Formula One as an engine supplier for the first time since it provided engines for its former customer team Jordan in 2004. It formed a partnership with Red Bull Powertrains, which supplies Red Bull Racing and their second team Racing Bulls. Honda split from the two Red Bull-owned teams and relaunched a fully-independent engine programme supplying Aston Martin under the Honda Racing Corporation subsidiary. Renault ceased to provide engines for Alpine from 2026, making this the first season without Renault as engine supplier since the 2000 championship. Alpine became a customer team of Mercedes, utilizing their engines and gearboxes from this season onwards.
Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas returned to full-time seats with Cadillac. Isack Hadjar moved from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing, replacing Yuki Tsunoda, who became Red Bull's test and reserve driver. Hadjar's replacement was Arvid Lindblad, who was promoted from Formula 2.
The 2026 calendar originally comprised twenty-four Grands Prix. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled, reducing the count of confirmed Grands Prix to twenty-two. The Chinese, Miami, Canadian, British, Dutch, and Singapore Grands Prix feature the sprint format.
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were postponed following the outbreak of the Iran war, and ultimately cancelled by the FIA. The Spanish Grand Prix moved from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló to a new street circuit in Madrid built around the IFEMA Exhibition Centre. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya continues to host a race under the name Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola was discontinued. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is to be held on a Saturday to accommodate Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day.
Financial, power unit, aerodynamic, geometric, and safety regulations were altered for the 2026 season.
For 2026, the Formula One cost cap for team operational expenditures was increased from $135 million to $215 million. A separate cost cap for power unit manufacturers was also increased from $95 million to $130 million from 2026 onwards.
New power unit regulations have been introduced for the 2026 season. The new power units still produce over 1,000 bhp, retaining the turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 internal combustion engine configuration. The MGU-H has been removed, while the MGU-K output increased to 470 bhp. The power output of the internal combustion part of the power unit decreased to 540 bhp. Fuel flow rates are measured and limited based on energy, and the power units use a fully sustainable fuel. Changes were announced at the Miami Grand Prix to the power unit, including an increase to the "super clipping" limit from 340 bhp to 470 bhp, intending to reduce its duration to 2–4 seconds per lap. For qualifying, the harvesting limit was reduced from 8 MJ to 7 MJ.
On 6 June 2024, the 2026 car concept was revealed, featuring new active aerodynamics in both the front and rear wings. The drag reduction system was eliminated, replaced by a new overtake mode. The wheelbase was reduced from 360 cm to 340 cm, the width from 200 cm to 190 cm, and the minimum mass was reduced by 30 kg. The tyres' widths were also reduced. The floor reduced ground effect to ease issues with porpoising. The FIA confirmed that the reduction in downforce from the 2026 generation of cars would be around 15%, making them approximately two seconds slower a lap than the 2022–2025 generation of cars.
Safety features were enhanced, with updated regulations for the front impact structure, improved side intrusion protection, and increased roll hoop strength. Lateral safety lights were mandated to display the energy recovery system status of a car when it stops on track.
Drivers are permitted to change their race number during their careers pending permission from the FIA. A minimum of 55% of the car's surface area, when viewed from the side and above, must be covered by painted or stickered liveries. Driver cooling vests are mandated when the FIA declares a heat hazard during a race weekend. Stewards have the option to initiate a review based on new evidence, and an "out of competition" stewards panel was introduced for time-sensitive decisions. The requirement to make a minimum two-stop strategy at the Monaco Grand Prix was dropped.
Three pre-season tests were held. The first was a private test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 26 to 30 January, with Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) setting the fastest time. The second test was held at the Bahrain International Circuit from 11–13 February, with Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) setting the fastest time. The third test was also held at the same venue from 18–20 February, with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) setting the fastest time.
Mercedes' George Russell took pole position for the season opening Australian Grand Prix and secured victory, with teammate Kimi Antonelli finishing second. Leclerc finished third. Russell took the lead in the Drivers' Championship with 25 points.
Russell took his maiden sprint pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli later became the youngest ever Formula One pole-sitter for the main race and claimed his maiden victory. Hamilton achieved his first podium since the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Franco Colapinto scored his first points for Alpine.
Antonelli took a second consecutive pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix and secured his first consecutive victories of the season, becoming the youngest World Drivers' Championship leader. Oscar Piastri and Leclerc rounded out the podium.
At the Miami Grand Prix, Lando Norris converted a sprint pole position to a victory. Antonelli converted pole position to a third consecutive victory. The McLarens of Norris and Piastri completed the podium. Colapinto finished seventh, bettering his best finish.
The Canadian Grand Prix saw Russell take pole position for the sprint event and win it. Russell then took pole position for the race itself, but was forced out due to a power unit failure, with Antonelli taking his fourth consecutive victory. Hamilton finished second, and Max Verstappen achieved his and Red Bull's first podium of the season. Colapinto finished sixth.
Points are awarded to the top ten classified drivers in the race and to the top eight finishers in the sprint. In the case of a tie on points, a countback system is used where the driver with the most Grand Prix wins is ranked higher. If the number of wins is identical, the number of second places is considered, and so on.
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