The 2026 grid expanded to eleven teams for the first time since 2016 with the debut of Cadillac. The team entered the championship using Ferrari power units and gearboxes, with plans to transition to an in-house power unit developed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports in 2029. Audi also joined the series as a works team after acquiring Sauber in 2024. The outfit, which competed as Kick Sauber in 2024 and 2025, utilizes its own Audi power unit.
Significant shifts occurred among engine suppliers. Ford returned to Formula One for the first time since 2004, partnering with Red Bull Powertrains to supply Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. Honda ended its relationship with the Red Bull-owned teams to become the exclusive works partner for Aston Martin under the Honda Racing Corporation subsidiary. Renault ceased its engine supply program for the first time since 2000, leading Alpine to become a Mercedes customer team, utilizing Mercedes engines and gearboxes.
The season saw the return of veterans Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas to full-time seats with the new Cadillac entry. Pérez joined the team following the mutual termination of his Red Bull Racing contract at the end of 2024, while Bottas moved from a reserve role at Mercedes. Within the Red Bull family, Isack Hadjar was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing, replacing Yuki Tsunoda, who transitioned to a test and reserve driver role. Arvid Lindblad filled the vacancy at Racing Bulls after being promoted from Formula 2.
The 2026 season introduced the seventeenth version of the technical regulations, focusing on sustainability and active technology.
The new power units maintain over 1,000 bhp but feature a significant shift in energy distribution. The MGU-H was removed, while the MGU-K output was increased from 160 bhp to 470 bhp. Conversely, the internal combustion engine's output was reduced from 850 bhp to 540 bhp. These units run on fully sustainable fuel. Following concerns regarding energy depletion and a high-speed crash involving Oliver Bearman at the Japanese Grand Prix, the FIA adjusted "super clipping" limits and harvesting rates to ensure more natural speed differentials on straights.
A new car concept was introduced featuring active aerodynamics in both the front and rear wings. This system replaced the traditional drag reduction system (DRS) with a new "overtake mode" (or manual override), available when a driver is within one second of the car ahead. The cars are smaller, with the wheelbase reduced to 340 cm and width reduced to 190 cm. The minimum mass was lowered by 30 kg, and tyre widths were narrowed.
The cost cap for team operational expenditures was increased to $215 million, while a separate cap for power unit manufacturers was set at $130 million. New sporting rules include a mandate that 55% of a car's surface must be covered by livery to prevent excessive exposed carbon fiber. Additionally, driver cooling vests became mandatory during heat hazards.
The 2026 calendar was reduced from twenty-four to twenty-two races following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to the outbreak of the Iran war. Notable changes included the Spanish Grand Prix moving to a new street circuit in Madrid, while the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosted the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix moved to a Saturday schedule, and the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was discontinued.
George Russell won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix from pole position, leading a Mercedes one-two finish ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli. Isack Hadjar qualified third on his debut, while reigning champion Lando Norris finished fifth.
At the Chinese Grand Prix, George Russell took sprint pole position. In the main Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli secured his maiden Formula One victory after starting from pole position, becoming the youngest pole-sitter in the sport's history. Lewis Hamilton finished on the podium for the first time since 2024.
Antonelli continued his form at the Japanese Grand Prix, taking pole and the race victory. This result allowed him to overtake Russell for the lead of the World Drivers' Championship, making him the first Italian driver to lead the standings since Alberto Ascari in 1953. The race was marked by a heavy crash for Oliver Bearman, which triggered a safety car period that Antonelli utilized to secure the win ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc.
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