The 2026 championship — the 77th running of the Formula One World Championship — introduced a revised power unit architecture that retained the turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 internal combustion engine but removed the MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit – Heat). The MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic) output was dramatically increased to 470 bhp (350 kW), up from 160 bhp (120 kW), while the combustion engine's contribution fell to approximately 540 bhp (400 kW). Combined power output remains above 1,000 bhp. The cars use fully sustainable fuel and are expected to recover twice the electrical energy of the previous generation.
Active aerodynamics replaced the drag reduction system. Moveable front and rear wing elements operate in high-downforce and low-drag configurations, and a new "overtake mode" can be activated by a driver within one second of the car ahead — mirroring the prior DRS proximity rule. Car dimensions were reduced: wheelbase from 360 cm to 340 cm, width from 200 cm to 190 cm, and minimum mass by 30 kg. Ground effect was reduced to ease porpoising.
The Singapore event is conducted under 2026 safety mandates that include lateral safety lights showing ERS status when a car stops on track and mandatory driver cooling vests when the FIA declares a heat hazard.
As a sprint format weekend, the Singapore Grand Prix includes a sprint race in addition to the main event. Under the 2026 points structure, the top eight finishers in the sprint score points and the top ten in the main race score points. In the event of a championship tie, a countback system awards higher ranking to the driver with more victories.
The 2026 season saw Cadillac become the eleventh constructor, debuting with Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas as drivers. Pérez had his Red Bull Racing contract terminated by mutual agreement at the end of 2024, while Bottas returned after his 2024 campaign with Sauber. Audi entered as a full works team under the Audi name, having raced as Kick Sauber in 2024 and 2025. Honda launched an exclusive works partnership with Aston Martin, ending its arrangement with the Red Bull family of teams. Ford returned as an engine supplier for the first time since 2004, partnering with Red Bull Powertrains for Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls.
Isack Hadjar moved from Racing Bulls to Red Bull Racing to replace Yuki Tsunoda, who became Red Bull's test and reserve driver. Arvid Lindblad was promoted from Formula 2 to fill Hadjar's place at Racing Bulls.
Early in the season, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes emerged as the dominant force, taking four consecutive race victories in China, Japan, Miami, and Canada. After the Japanese Grand Prix, Antonelli became the youngest World Drivers' Championship leader and Italy's first championship leader since Alberto Ascari in 1953. His teammate George Russell was consistently quick, winning the Australian season opener and the Canadian sprint, but a power unit failure in Canada cost him the lead. Lewis Hamilton scored Ferrari's first win of the 2026 campaign at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
The 2026 calendar was reduced from twenty-four to twenty-two rounds following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, both dropped due to safety concerns arising from the outbreak of the Iran war. The Spanish Grand Prix relocated to a new Madrid street circuit around the IFEMA Exhibition Centre, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya retaining a round under the renamed Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was discontinued after its hosting contract expired in 2025.
Power unit concerns that emerged at the Japanese Grand Prix — where a speed differential caused by differing ERS deployment strategies contributed to Oliver Bearman's heavy crash — prompted a series of FIA meetings and led to mid-season adjustments ahead of the Miami round. The "super clipping" limit was raised from 340 bhp to 470 bhp and the qualifying energy harvesting limit was reduced, measures intended to reduce abrupt speed differentials and the frequency of lift-and-coast scenarios on straights.
Gallery · 4 related images
