2026 Formula 1 Season Preview

We’re back, and on an entirely new scale! Yes, the start of a brand-new Formula 1 Season is just around the corner, but in a far different capacity than years prior, with huge new regulations sure to change things up (in some capacity)! Active Aero is now a thing, with X-Mode (down the straights) and Z-Mode (through the corners), whilst a new overtake mode is in place of DRS! The cars are also both lighter and smaller, with 100% sustainable fuel also in use! However, the biggest part of these new regulations is the complex engine changes, with a 50/50 power split between the ICE and electrical power, whilst the MGU-H has gone completely! This potentially means that the drivers will have to adapt their driving styles, creating a sense of intrigue as to who these cars will suit! Combine all of this with a new team, a new World Champion, and a familiar Number 3 on the Red Bull, and the hype and hopefulness heading into the new season cannot be denied!

Part 1: The Teams and Drivers

McLaren

After plenty of antics in 2025, McLaren will be hoping that the dynamics of the team will be as good as their dominant 2025 car that saw them win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships! Last year, McLaren built an absolute rocket ship of a car, successfully defending their Constructors’ Title by 364 points, but they only barely won the Drivers’ Title after many errors from both themselves and their drivers! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, McLaren have achieved 13 Drivers’ World Championships, 10 Constructors’ World Championships, 203 Race Victories, 177 Pole Positions, and 558 Podiums! When it comes to their drivers, both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are set for another year in papaya!

After many ups and downs, Lando Norris enters a new season as the reigning Formula 1 World Champion! Last year, Lando faced a lot of challenges in the earlier parts of the season, but a strong amount of consistency was enough for him to earn his maiden crown! Over the course of his F1 career, Norris has achieved 1 World Championship, 11 Race Wins, 16 Pole Positions, and 44 Podiums! It felt like last year was must-win for Lando Norris, and in theory, the Brit’s confidence should grow enormously with the Number 1 on his car!

As for his teammate, Oscar Piastri is seeking redemption! Last year, Oscar shocked everyone at the start of the year with his incredible performances in comparison to his teammate, winning 5 of the opening 9 rounds of the season to put him as the firm favourite for the Title, only for everything to go wrong after Monza (which was down to both his own doing and his team’s poor errors)! Over the course of his F1 career, Piastri has achieved 9 Race Wins, 6 Pole Positions, and 26 Podiums! There is no doubt that Oscar Piastri should’ve won last year’s World Championship, but despite that, the positives of last year cannot be ignored, with Oscar’s growth proving to be pretty remarkable!

Overall, I firmly feel like McLaren are being underappreciated heading into this season based on thoughts around other teams, as it seems like everyone’s forgetting how dominant they were last year! Yes, it’s going to be tough to continue to be the benchmark heading into a new set of regulations, but if the Mercedes engine is as good as everyone expects it to be, McLaren should still remain as favourites! Now, which one out of Norris and Piastri wins the Drivers’ Title is a debate for another day!

Mercedes

With 2014 firmly set in most people’s brains, Mercedes enter 2026 with all the expectation in the world! Last year, Mercedes had a much better year than most anticipated, with George Russell stepping up to be the team leader in some style, whilst Andrea Kimi Antonelli marked his Rookie campaign with positive signs of what’s to come in the future! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Mercedes have achieved 9 Drivers’ World Championships, 8 Constructors’ World Championships, 131 Race Victories, 143 Pole Positions, and 310 Podiums! When it comes to their drivers, Mercedes have retained both George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli for another year!

For a lot of people, George Russell is set to be the man to beat in 2026! Last year, George took his game to another level, showing an incredible amount of consistency as he delivered Race Wins in both Canada and Singapore (the only driver outside of the Title protagonists to do so)! Over the course of his F1 career, Russell has achieved 5 Race Wins, 7 Pole Positions, and 24 Podiums! Last year proved to everyone that George Russell is good enough to win multiple Drivers’ Titles; it’s just a case of whether Merc can deliver him the car capable of doing so!

As for his teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is looking to gain a level of consistency in his sophomore season! Last year, Kimi Antonelli proved to be pretty good outside of Europe, and then pretty horrible inside of it! Despite that, it was still a solid first year for the young Italian! Over the course of his F1 career, Antonelli has achieved 3 Podiums as well as a Sprint Pole in Miami! Ultimately, it was okay for Andrea Kimi Antonelli to lack consistency in his Rookie Season, but if Mercedes are going to be fighting for both Championships, Kimi will need to improve on that part of his game!

Overall, it makes sense that people expect Mercedes to win given how they absolutely destroyed everyone else in the last engine-centred era! However, we also expected Mercedes to be very good in the last generation of cars, and that went completely wrong for them! Still, Russell and Antonelli should achieve plenty of success in 2026, as long as their engine doesn’t get banned!

Red Bull Racing

For the first time in their history, Red Bull Racing are a works manufacturer in partnership with a returning Ford! Last year, Red Bull had a bit of a torrid time for a lot of the year, but an insane comeback from Monza onwards meant Max Verstappen missed out on winning his 5th-consecutive World Drivers’ Championship by just 2 points! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Red Bull have achieved 8 Drivers’ World Championships, 6 Constructors’ World Championships, 130 Race Victories, 111 Pole Positions, and 297 Podiums! When it comes to their drivers, Max Verstappen has brought back the Number 3 onto the side of a Red Bull car, whilst Isack Hadjar has been promoted after a torrid 2025 for Yuki Tsunoda!

For the first time since 2021, Max Verstappen isn’t entering a season as the reigning World Champion! Last year, Max made his grievances known towards a number of different issues going on at Red Bull Racing, with many talks of him potentially leaving the team quickly being forgotten as the Dutchman went on a 10-Race Podium streak (which included 6 Wins) to finish just 2 points off a 5th World Title (after previously being over 100 points behind)! Over the course of his F1 career, Verstappen has achieved 4 World Championships, 71 Race Wins, 48 Pole Positions, and 127 Podiums! With Max Verstappen’s clear distaste towards this latest era of Formula 1, I’d advise everyone to enjoy Max whilst we’ve still got him (on the grid)!

As for his teammate, Isack Hadjar is looking to finally break the Red Bull second-seat curse! Last year, Isack had one of the all-time great Rookie seasons, with his standout moment being a Podium finish in Zandvoort! Over the course of his F1 career, Hadjar has achieved 1 Podium whilst he’s scored 51 points! I can’t praise Isack Hadjar enough for the way he performed last year; he proved everyone wrong (including myself), and now he just has to hope that a new era of cars results in a new era for Red Bull’s second drivers!

Overall, there are certainly a lot of question marks surrounding Red Bull Racing heading into 2026, with an unproven brand-new power unit, a star driver who seemingly already has one foot out of the door, and another driver who steps into the worst seat in all of motorsport! However, Hadjar did a far better job at Red Bull’s sister team than all of his predecessors who’ve fallen to the mighty Verstappen, whilst Max will definitely be there to win if Ford delivers!

Ferrari

After a miserably underwhelming 2025, will 2026 finally be Ferrari’s year?! Last year, nothing went well for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc clearly upset by the situation, whilst Lewis Hamilton’s first year in red was the worst of his entire career! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Ferrari have achieved 15 Drivers’ World Championships, 16 Constructors’ World Championships, 247 Race Victories, 254 Pole Positions, and 831 Podiums! When it comes to their drivers, it feels like this is now or never for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s careers moving forward!

The most loyal man in all of motorsport is back for his 8th year with the Scuderia, but will the dream ever come true for Charles Leclerc?! Last year, Charles had one of the toughest years of his Formula 1 career to date, with 0 Wins all season as his car simply wasn’t quick enough! Over the course of his F1 career, Leclerc has achieved 8 Race Wins, 27 Pole Positions, and 50 Podiums! We all know that Charles Leclerc has the talent to be a Formula 1 World Champion, but the real question is whether or not the Monegasque will actually be able to achieve that whilst driving in red!

As for his teammate, there aren’t many drivers under more pressure heading into 2026 than Lewis Hamilton! Last year, Lewis had a disastrous first season at Ferrari, with torrid Qualifying performances (minus his Sprint Pole in China) resulting in the “statistical GOAT” not even appearing on a Grand Prix Podium once! Over the course of his F1 career, Hamilton has achieved 7 World Championships, 105 Race Wins, 104 Pole Positions, and 202 Podiums! We’ve already said that Ferrari need to deliver this year, but that same sentiment can very much be echoed about Lewis Hamilton! Another season like 2025 (and even 2024), and the Brit’s time in the sport might be over!

Overall, Ferrari have to win this year! No excuses, no second place, nothing other than 1st is acceptable! I’m saying this not only before of the Tifosi, not only because of the history, but also because if they don’t hit the ground running in these new regulations, the Scuderia risk losing their World Championship-level driver for good!

Williams

Over 3 years after James Vowles announced his “5-year plan”, are Williams primed to compete at the front or will this prove to be a learning year for the boys in blue?! Last year, Williams had their best season since 2016, scoring 137 points in a year that included multiple Podium appearances! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Williams have achieved 7 Drivers’ World Championships, 9 Constructors’ World Championships, 114 Race Victories, 128 Pole Positions, and 315 Podiums! When it comes to their drivers, both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz remain after positive 2025’s!

Alex Albon is aiming to get back to his best after a tale-of-two-halves in 2025! Last year, Alex started the season off incredibly strongly; 11 points-scoring finishes in the opening 16 rounds was enough for Albon to finish 8th in the Drivers’ Standings, but it does have to be noted that the Thai driver only managed to score 3 points in the remaining 8 weekends of the season (and they came from a P6 finish in the COTA Sprint)! Over the course of his Formula 1 career, Albon has achieved 2 Podiums, and his highest-ever Championship finish was 7th back in 2020! I still firmly believe that 2025 was a positive year for Alex Albon, but it’s imperative for his future that he doesn’t start the year how he ended the last one!

As for his teammate, Carlos Sainz should be brimming with confidence! Last year, Carlos had a lot of bad luck in the early parts of his Williams career, but things very much started to click post-Monza, with the Spaniard returning to the Podium not once, but twice (and even three times if you include the COTA Sprint)! Over the course of his F1 career, Sainz has achieved 4 Race Wins, 6 Pole Positions, and 29 Podiums! We all know Carlos Sainz’s ability, and if given the machinery, he could well find himself having a Daniel Ricciardo 2020-like season (which is a massive compliment)!

Overall, it’s very unclear how Williams are going to do in 2026, with a lot of positive expectations towards them being drowned out by multiple crash test failures, plus missing the Barcelona Shakedown! However, there’s no doubt that Williams have two great drivers at their disposal, so I think it would be quite silly to count this team out when it comes to still remaining as the best of the rest!

Racing Bulls

Well, at least Racing Bulls have kept their name the same this year! Last year, Racing Bulls built quite a quick car, and whilst they underperformed in terms of points scored, it was still a season filled with many a highlight, particularly Isack Hadjar’s Podium finish in Zandvoort! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Racing Bulls have achieved 2 Race Victories, 1 Pole Position, and 6 Podiums under various names, and their highest-ever Championship finish was 6th in 2008 and 2019 (as Toro Rosso), 2021 (as AlphaTauri), and last year! When it comes to their drivers, Liam Lawson is hoping to finally get an uninterrupted season under his belt, whilst Arvid Lindblad steps up as the only Rookie on this year’s grid!

After multiple substitutions, promotions, and demotions, Liam Lawson wants a nice and calm 2026 season! Last year, Liam was harshly dumped by Red Bull after just 2 rounds, but after a bit of adapting, the Kiwi seemed to find his form again at Racing Bulls, achieving as many Top 8 finishes in 2025 as his teammate (who we’ve already raved about)! Over the course of his F1 career, Lawson has scored 44 points in 35 Race Weekends, with his career-best result being P5 in last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix! This is a big year for Liam Lawson; it’s imperative for him that he beats his teammate!

As for his teammate, Arvid Lindblad enters Formula 1 with a lot of eyes on him! Last year, Arvid managed to finish 6th in Formula 2, winning 3 Races across the year (including the Barcelona Feature Race)! Over the course of his Junior Formula career, Lindblad managed to win last year’s Formula Regional Oceania Championship, he’s a 6-time winner in Italian F4 (a series he finished third in in 2023), and he’s won 7 times across FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2! It’s worth noting that Arvid Lindblad is only 18 years old, so he should be given a lot of time to grow! However, this is Red Bull we’re talking about, and to say that the main team has been high on this young man for years would be quite the understatement!

Overall, Racing Bulls will most likely struggle to replicate what they achieved in 2025, but that doesn’t mean that they still can’t do well! Granted, a lot of VCARB’s success is going to come down to how good the Red Bull Ford-Powertrain is, but in theory, we should see the best version of Lawson, whilst I’ve definitely learned my lesson from last year when it comes to not expecting much from an RB Rookie!

Aston Martin

After years of building up the hype, is that all it is for Aston Martin? Last year, Aston Martin were pretty disappointing for the most part, with them actively saying that they were fully focusing on 2026 as they ultimately returned to their favourite position of P7 in the Constructors’! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Aston Martin have achieved 9 Podiums, but it is worth mentioning that they have achieved 5 Race Victories under previous regimes! As for their best Championship finish, Aston managed to finish 5th in the Constructors' Championship in both 2023 and 2024, but once again, they have done better than that in the past (as Racing Point, Force India, and Jordan)! When it comes to their drivers, Aston have decided to stick with the duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for a 4th-straight season!

This really could be the final dance in the iconic Formula 1 career of Fernando Alonso! Last year, despite Aston Martin producing a below-average car, Fernando drove brilliantly, scoring 56 points on his way to a Top 10 Championship finish! Over the course of his F1 career, Alonso has achieved 2 World Championships, 32 Race Wins, 22 Pole Positions, and 106 Podiums! Whilst it’s not set in stone, it feels like we’ve known for years that 2026 is going to be Fernando Alonso’s final year in F1, so let’s hope Honda finally delivers for him!

As for his teammate, Lance Stroll is ready to enter his 10th season in the top tier of Motorsport! Last year, Lance actually had a better year in terms of reigning in errors and mistakes, with three Top 7 finishes between Silverstone and Zandvoort being a real highlight for the Canadian! Over the course of his F1 career, Stroll has achieved 1 Pole Position and 3 Podiums, whilst his highest-ever Championship finish was 10th in 2023! I genuinely come into 2026 thinking that this could be Lance Stroll’s final year in Formula 1, but I think that again comes down to what level of machinery he’s given! Either way, Lance needs to find consistency (something we’ve been saying for far too long now)!

Overall, 2026 started as a year of hope for Aston Martin, with beliefs that Adrian Newey would finally be able to guide Fernando Alonso back to winning ways! However, based on their car reveal, pre-season testing, and recent comments made by both Honda and the drivers themselves, this could end up being a horror year for anyone associated with the green outfit!

Haas

The most likeable team in Formula 1, Haas, are looking to grow now that they’ve reached a stronger partnership with Toyota! Last year, Haas had a pretty good year, with really strong results for both Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, although they will probably still be a little bit disappointed that 79 points was only good enough for P8! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Haas have achieved 1 Pole Position, whilst their highest-ever Championship finish was 5th back in 2018! When it comes to their drivers, both Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon are sticking around for another season!

After a positive second half to his Rookie Season, Oliver Bearman will have his eyes firmly set on more than just Haas! Last year, Ollie Bearman really started to find his form following the Summer Break, with 5 consecutive points-scoring finishes between Singapore and Las Vegas (which included a Haas joint-record-best P4 in Mexico City)! Over the course of his F1 career, Bearman has scored 48 points across 27 Race Weekends, with that P4 in Mexico being his career-best result! We know how quick Oliver Bearman is, but I was particularly impressed with his performances on a Sunday last year! If Bearman can carry that on in 2026, expect Ollie to potentially get the call-up from Ferrari down the line!

As for his teammate, this is a massive year for Esteban Ocon! Last year, despite having a few standout performances (particularly P5 in China), it was ultimately a difficult first year at Haas for Esteban, with him being comprehensively outperformed by his Rookie teammate! Over the course of his F1 career, Ocon has achieved 1 Race Win and 4 Podiums! I really like Esteban Ocon; I think he’s been majorly underrated for quite some time, but last year wasn’t good enough, and Estie Bestie will know that he has to do better if he wants to still remain in the sport long-term!

Overall, Haas are one of the few teams coming into 2026 that haven’t talked about being at the front since these new regulations were announced a few of years ago! On the one hand, you’d think that would mean that they would struggle, particularly when you compare the resources they have at their disposal to some of the teams who finished below them last year! However, having said all of that, there does seem to be some hype around Haas coming out of pre-season testing, so who knows, maybe this could finally be the year where Haas get their maiden Podium!

Audi

3-and-a-half years after their initial announcement of entry into the sport, Audi are finally set to compete in the top tier of motorsport! Audi have fully taken over from Kick Sauber now, having initially acquired a stake in the team back in 2022, but they’ve only changed their name now due to the debut of their brand-new power unit (having ran with the Ferrari engine for quite some time)! Last year, Kick Sauber had a far more successful 2025 than 2024, scoring 70 points in a year that included a famous Nico Hulkenberg Podium! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, the Hinwil-based team have achieved 1 Race Victory, 1 Pole Position, and 5 Podiums, although Audi are classed as a brand-new team (which sort of makes sense)! When it comes to their drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto have swapped out the Kick green for Audi silver!

A moment two years in the making; Nico Hulkenberg is finally driving for a team from his own country (again)! Last year, Nico performed particularly well on a Sunday, with his maiden Podium in Silverstone being one of the happiest moments in the sport in the last decade! Over the course of his F1 career, Hulkenberg has achieved 1 Podium in 254 Races, whilst his highest-ever Championship finish was 7th back in 2018! There’s no doubt that Nico Hulkenberg has done very well since he returned to Formula 1 (full-time) back in 2023, and whilst last year wasn’t as good as his final year at Haas, The Hulk is going to be more than fired up to deliver in an Audi!

As for his teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto is aiming to grow after a mixed Rookie Season! Last year, Gabriel showed his pace with a number of strong Qualifying performances, but most of his Race performances left a lot to be desired! Over the course of his F1 career, Bortoleto has scored 19 points across 24 Race Weekends, with his best result being P6 in Hungary! Whilst it wasn’t the best Rookie year, the keyword there is “Rookie”, meaning Gabriel Bortoleto has more than enough time to grow! Gabby has more than enough pace on a Saturday; it’s now just important for him to close the gap to his teammate on a Sunday!

Overall, whilst it’s easy to get excited about Audi being on the grid, we have to remember that the large majority of this team is still Kick Sauber! Now, the biggest difference from last year’s outfit is the engine, meaning most of Audi’s success in 2026 is going to come down to whether they’re capable of building a good engine or not! That is something I am very intrigued about!

Alpine

After being the worst team in 2025, Alpine have made quite the statement by sacking off their own engine to move to Mercedes power! Last year, Alpine were a mess from the very beginning, with Jack Doohan being unfairly dropped after just 6 rounds for Franco Colapinto, whilst the team finished 48 points off the next best car in the Constructors’ Championship! Over the course of their Formula 1 career, Alpine have achieved 1 Race Win and 6 Podiums! However, it’s worth mentioning that the Enstone-based team has achieved plenty of Championship glory as both Renault and Benetton! When it comes to their drivers, Alpine are set to have a full season with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto at the wheel!

Pierre Gasly is a driver who enters 2026 expecting a lot from his team! Last year, Pierre put in a number of really strong performances, particularly compared to his teammates, but a terrible car meant the Gasman could only manage 18th in the standings! Over the course of his F1 career, Gasly has achieved 1 Race Win and 5 Podiums, whilst his highest-ever Championship finish was 7th in 2019! We all know how talented Pierre Gasly is, and if this Alpine x Mercedes partnership works, expect Pierre to score a bucket load of points!

As for his teammate, Franco Colapinto has to find success in 2026! Last year, Franco was moved into an official Race Seat at Alpine after the Miami Grand Prix, but he really struggled for performance, with the Argentine ending the year pointless! Over the course of his F1 career, Colapinto has scored 5 points across 27 Race Weekends, with his best finish being a P8 in the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix! If Franco Colapinto performs how he performed in 2025, there’s no way that he should be on the grid next year, meaning this year is critical in Colapinto's career!

Overall, Alpine have no excuses not to deliver in 2026! For ages, they’ve been telling us how terrible the Renault engine is, to the point where they’ve shut down that entire department to move over to Mercedes engines! With Merc being expected to produce the best engine, and Alpine in the past being known for building a strong chassis, the French team have to deliver, especially for their drivers!

Cadillac

For the first time since 2016, we properly have a brand-new team on the grid as Cadillac have arrived in Formula 1! Back in 2023, Andretti and General Motors announced their intention to join Formula 1, a proposal that was later rejected by the 10 F1 teams! However, Andretti kept building stuff behind the scenes, and with a rebrand to Cadillac, F1 officially approved their entry into the sport from the start of the 2026 Formula 1 Season! Part of the reason that Cadillac’s entry was accepted the second time around was the fact that General Motors agreed to start manufacturing their own engines, although GM won’t start supplying Cadillac in 2029! Because of that, Cadillac will start their Formula 1 tenure with Ferrari-powered engines! When it comes to their drivers, both Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez return with a point to prove!

Despite a horrible 2024, Valtteri Bottas seems more than content to return to the back of the grid for the start of a new project! Last year, Valtteri Bottas spent a year on the sidelines as Mercedes’ Reserve Driver, giving people plenty of entertainment with his social media videos (yes, you read that right)! Over the course of his F1 career, Bottas has achieved 10 Race Wins, 20 Pole Positions, and 67 Podiums! There’s no doubt that Valtteri Bottas will bring an awful lot of experience to Cadillac, but I am worried for him after seeing how it went for him in his final year at Kick Sauber!

As for his teammate, Sergio Perez is back with a vengeance! Last year, Sergio took a year off racing, a move that was clearly needed after a torrid end to his Red Bull career, and it seemed to help Checo fall back in love with the sport! Over the course of his F1 career, Perez has achieved 6 Race Wins, 3 Pole Positions, and 39 Podiums! I think last year showed that Sergio Perez wasn’t the problem at Red Bull, and when he’s confident in his machinery, Checo can deliver great success! However, Perez also knows that this is going to be a long-term project, so 2026 could be quite tough!

Overall, it’s really cool to see an 11th team on the grid, and there’s something awesome about Cadillac being that new team! It’s also great to see both Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez return to Formula 1; they’re both great characters, and most importantly, they should help Cadillac learn a lot! However, there are a lot of reasons to worry about Cadillac’s performance throughout 2026, but by the looks of it, General Motors have already accepted that (which is a smart move)!

Part 2: The Calendar

Round 1: Australian Grand Prix (6th-8th March)

A brand-new era of Formula 1 officially kicks off in Australia! The Albert Park Circuit is 5.278km (3.280 miles) long, it features 16 corners, and there will be 58 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 39 Australian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1985, was won by Keke Rosberg! Last year, Lando Norris managed to hold off a late charge from Max Verstappen to take victory in what was firmly the Race of the Season! Currently, Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most Australian GP victories with 4, whilst Ferrari have won this Race 14 times! The first weekend of a new season is always can’t miss, but even more so with these new regulations!

Round 2: Chinese Grand Prix (13th-15th March)

The teams and drivers will only get one weekend under their belt before they already have to deal with the first Sprint Weekend of 2026! The Shanghai International Circuit is 5.451km (3.387 miles) long, it features 16 corners, and there will be 56 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 18 Chinese Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2004, was won by Rubens Barrichello! Last year, Oscar Piastri bounced back in style to take his first victory of the season on a weekend where Lewis Hamilton tasted his only bit of success in his first year with Ferrari! Currently, Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most Chinese GP victories with 6, whilst Mercedes have also won this Race 6 times! I feel like this weekend could be chaos!

Round 3: Japanese Grand Prix (27th-29th March)

Whilst Yuki Tsunoda is off the grid, Honda’s return with Aston Martin will still give the Japanese crowd something to cheer for! The Suzuka Circuit is 5.807km (3.608 miles) long, it features 18 corners, and there will be 53 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 39 Japanese Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1976, was won by Mario Andretti! Last year, a sensational Qualifying lap from Max Verstappen was enough for the 4-time World Champion to stun McLaren to take his first victory of 2025! Currently, Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most Japanese GP victories with 6, whilst McLaren have won this Race 9 times! Suzuka has the best fans, and it’s particularly beautiful during Cherry Blossom season!

Round 4: Bahrain Grand Prix (10th-12th April)

The Bahrain Grand Prix is always one of the best Races of the year! The Bahrain International Circuit is 5.412km (3.363 miles) long, it features 15 corners, and there will be 57 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 21 Bahrain Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2004, was won by Michael Schumacher! Last year, Oscar Piastri dominated the field to take victory in a weekend where Red Bull massively struggled! Currently, Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most Bahrain GP victories with 5, whilst Ferrari have won this Race 7 times! I personally love Bahrain, and the teams and drivers should too, given they’ve done a large amount of testing around there!

Round 5: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (17th-19th April)

The final part of the Asian/Middle East tour (for now) takes place under the lights in Saudi Arabia! The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is 6.174km (3.836 miles) long, it features 27 corners, and there will be 50 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 5 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2021, was won by Lewis Hamilton! Last year, Oscar Piastri took another victory as teammate Lando Norris crashed in Qualifying! Currently, Max Verstappen holds the record for the most Saudi Arabian GP victories with 2, whilst Red Bull have won this Race 3 times! There are an awful lot of corners at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, meaning recharging these new cars may be tricky!

Round 6: Miami Grand Prix (1st-3rd May)

For the first time in 2026, Formula 1 heads stateside for the Miami Grand Prix! The Miami International Autodrome is 5.412km (3.363 miles) long, it features 19 corners, and there will be 57 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 4 Miami Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2022, was won by Max Verstappen! Last year, Oscar Piastri made it three-straight wins (after pulling off a great move on Max Verstappen into Turn 1) in a weekend that also saw Andrea Kimi Antonelli take his maiden Sprint Pole! Currently, Max Verstappen holds the record for the most Miami GP victories with 2, whilst both Red Bull and McLaren have won this Race twice! Miami is usually all about the spectacle, but fingers crossed these new cars suit this circuit better!

Round 7: Canadian Grand Prix (22nd-24th May)

After a couple of weeks off, F1 returns in Montreal for a very early Sprint Weekend edition of the Canadian Grand Prix! The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is 4.361km (2.709 miles) long, it features 13 corners, and there will be 70 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 54 Canadian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1967, was won by Jack Brabham! Last year, George Russell had a perfect weekend to take his first victory of the season in a Race that saw Lando Norris collide into his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri! Currently, both Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher hold the record for the most Canadian GP victories with 7, whilst McLaren have won this Race 13 times! It’s going to be interesting to see what Canada’s like in May, and it’s also worth remembering that the Grand Prix itself will take place slightly later than usual due to the Indy500!

Round 8: Monaco Grand Prix (5th-7th June)

Will these new cars fix the Monaco Grand Prix?! The Circuit de Monaco is 3.337km (2.074 miles) long, it features 19 corners, and there will be 78 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 71 Monaco Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1950, was won by Juan Manuel Fangio! Last year, Lando Norris came out victorious in a Race where the 2-stop concept didn’t quite work out how F1 had hoped! Currently, Ayrton Senna holds the record for the most Monaco GP victories with 6, whilst McLaren have won this Race 16 times! Monaco is well known for having the best Saturday of the year, only to then have the worst Sunday of the season too! However, I will say that I am intrigued to see the new cars drive around the streets of Monte Carlo (let’s see how long that lasts)!

Round 9: Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix (12th-14th June)

Whilst the official Spanish Grand Prix may have moved to Madrid, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya remains for at least this year! The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is 4.675km (2.905 miles) long, it features 16 corners, and there will be 66 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 35 Grand Prix’s held around this circuit, and the inaugural event, held in 1991, was won by Nigel Mansell! Last year, Oscar Piastri stormed to victory as Max Verstappen “lashed out” at George Russell (which was arguably the most iconic moment of the entire season)! Currently, both Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher hold the record for the most wins around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with 6, whilst Ferrari have won around this track 8 times! I’m quite excited to see how much difference the drivers feel from driving this circuit in Round 9 compared to when they did their first “Shakedown” there!

Round 10: Austrian Grand Prix (26th-28th June)

The Austrian Grand Prix has always been one of the best circuits for wheel-to-wheel racing! The Red Bull Ring is 4.318km (2.683 miles) long, it features 10 corners, and there will be 71 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 38 Austrian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1964, was won by Lorenzo Bandini! Last year, McLaren were miles out in front, with Lando Norris edging out Oscar Piastri to take a much-needed victory! Currently, Max Verstappen holds the record for the most Austrian GP victories with 4, whilst McLaren have won this Race 7 times! I love Austria, so fingers crossed the racing is as good as usual!

Round 11: British Grand Prix (3rd-5th July)

Round 11 sees Formula 1 return to the home of Formula 1, Silverstone, for the British Grand Prix! The Silverstone Circuit is 5.891km (3.660 miles) long, it features 18 corners, and there will be 52 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 75 British Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1950, was won by Giuseppe Farina! Last year, Lando Norris capitalised on an Oscar Piastri penalty to take victory, whilst Nico Hulkenberg finally appeared on a Formula 1 Podium! Currently, Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most British GP victories with 9, whilst Ferrari have won this Race a whopping 18 times! It’s also worth remembering that Silverstone will host a Sprint Weekend this year, meaning we should get even more exciting action than usual!

Round 12: Belgian Grand Prix (17th-19th July)

The midway point of the 2026 Formula 1 Season runs through the Ardenne Forest for the Belgian Grand Prix! The Circuit de Spa-Franchorchamps is 7.004km (4.352 miles) long, it features 20 corners, and there will be 44 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 70 Belgian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1950, was won by Juan Manuel Fangio! Last year, Oscar Piastri made a decisive move on the opening lap to take victory in tricky wet conditions! Currently, Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most Belgian GP victories with 6, whilst Ferrari have won this Race 18 times! I really, really hope that this new generation of cars suits Spa better than the ground-effect era!

Round 13: Hungarian Grand Prix (24th-26th July)

F1 heads back to Hungary for the final Race Weekend before the Summer Break! The Hungaroring is 4.381km (2.722 miles) long, it features 14 corners, and there will be 70 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 40 Hungarian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1986, was won by Nelson Piquet! Last year, McLaren’s decision to split the strategy allowed Lando Norris to “steal” a win away from Oscar Piastri, whilst Max Verstappen finished 72 seconds off the lead in P9 (Wowzers)! Currently, Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most Hungarian GP victories with 8, whilst McLaren have won this Race 13 times! The final Race before the Summer Break is always an important one to win, but it feels like it would be redemption/justice for Oscar Piastri!

Round 14: Dutch Grand Prix (21st-23rd August)

We return from the Summer Break with one last trip to Zandvoort, as we get a Sprint Weekend for the final Dutch Grand Prix for a while! The Circuit Zandvoort is 4.259km (2.646 miles) long, it features 14 corners, and there will be 72 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 35 Dutch Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1952, was won by Alberto Ascari! Last year, Oscar Piastri looked to be in control of the Championship after winning + his teammate DNF’ing, whilst Isack Hadjar scored his maiden Formula 1 Podium for Racing Bulls! Currently, Jim Clark holds the record for the most Dutch GP victories with 4, whilst Ferrari have won this Race 8 times! I firmly believe that the Dutch are the best fans in the entire world, so it’s going to be wonderful to see a sold-out Zandvoort for one last time!

Round 15: Italian Grand Prix (4th-6th September)

The Tifosi will be flocking the stands at Monza, hoping that their beloved Ferrari are in Championship contention! The Monza Circuit is 5.793km (3.600 miles) long, it features 11 corners, and there will be 53 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 76 Italian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1950, was won by Giuseppe Farina! Last year, Max Verstappen smashed the rest of the field as McLaren infamously told Oscar Piastri to let Lando Norris through after THEY blundered the pit-stop! Currently, both Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton hold the record for the most Italian GP victories with 5, whilst Ferrari have won this Race a massive 20 times! Monza is such a cool circuit, but it’s going to be interesting to see how this set of cars work around there!

Round 16: Spanish Grand Prix (11th-13th September)

For the first time ever, Formula 1 is set to take over Madrid! The Madring is 5.416km (3.365 miles) long, it features 22 corners, but the number of laps for this Race is seemingly still undecided (I’m sure it will be confirmed soon)! In total, there have been 54 Spanish Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1951, was won by Juan Manuel Fangio! Currently, Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most Spanish GP victories with 6, whilst Ferrari have won this Race 12 times! Now, right now, there are still doubts as to whether this circuit is going to be ready in time for this event, with Imola the most likely replacement if necessary! Hopefully, we get to see what the Madring is all about, mostly because all I’ve seen are complaints!

Round 17: Azerbaijan Grand Prix (24th-26th September)

Yes, this year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix is taking place on a Saturday! The Baku City Circuit is 6.003km (3.730 miles) long, it features 20 corners, and there will be 51 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 8 Azerbaijan Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2017, was won by Daniel Ricciardo! Last year, Max Verstappen won, Carlos Sainz brilliantly earned his first Podium for Williams, and Oscar Piastri had one of the worst weekends in Championship-leader history! Currently, both Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen hold the record for the most Azerbaijan GP victories with 2, whilst Red Bull have won this Race 5 times! Baku is usually pretty good fun, but I’m particularly intrigued to see how the drivers cope with their battery deployment given how long the straight in Sector 3 is!

Round 18: Singapore Grand Prix (9th-11th October)

The final Sprint weekend of 2026 takes place in Singapore, and yes, I’m being serious! The Marina Bay Street Circuit is 4.940km (3.070 miles) long, it features 19 corners, and there will be 62 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 16 Singapore Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2008, was won by Fernando Alonso! Last year, George Russell led from start to finish to take his second victory of the season, whilst more tension grew at McLaren after Lando Norris bumped Oscar Piastri out of the way! Currently, Sebastian Vettel holds the record for the most Singapore GP victories with 4, whilst Mercedes have won this Race 5 times! I have no idea who thought it was a good idea to host a Sprint Race at Singapore, but maybe they know something we don’t (I highly doubt it, though)!

Round 19: United States Grand Prix (23rd-25th October)

The first triple header of the season begins in the mighty Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix! The Circuit of the Americas is 5.513km (3.426 miles) long, it features 20 corners, and there will be 56 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 46 United States Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1959, was won by Bruce McLaren! Last year, Max Verstappen had a perfect weekend to win everything, whilst the two McLarens collided out of the Sprint Race! Currently, Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most US GP victories with 6, whilst Ferrari have won the Race 11 times! COTA is absolutely one of the best circuits on the entire Formula 1 Calendar!

Round 20: Mexico City Grand Prix (30th-1st November)

After a year away, Sergio Perez returns home to give the Mexico City crowd a home hero to cheer for! The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is 4.304km (2.674 miles) long, it features 17 corners, and there will be 71 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 25 Mexican Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1963, was won by Jim Clark! Last year, Lando Norris dominated the rest of the field to take a much-needed 30-second victory, whilst Oliver Bearman finished a career-best 4th for Haas! Currently, Max Verstappen holds the record for the most Mexican GP victories with 5, whilst Red Bull have also won this Race 5 times! Mexico City is not exactly a Race that people get particularly excited about, but hopefully that will change this year!

Round 21: Sao Paulo Grand Prix (6th-8th November)

For some ridiculous reason, Sao Paulo isn’t hosting a Sprint Weekend for the first time since that format was introduced! The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace is 4.309km (2.677 miles) long, it features 15 corners, and there will be 71 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 52 Brazilian Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 1973, was won by Emerson Fittipaldi! Last year, Lando Norris won again as Max Verstappen went from the Pit lane to Podium! Currently, Alain Prost holds the record for the most Brazilian GP victories with 6, whilst McLaren have won this Race 13 times! I cannot get my head around the decision not to host a Sprint Race around Interlagos; it’s literally perfect, but anyway, the Grand Prix itself should still be quality!

Round 22: Las Vegas Grand Prix (19th-21st November)

Whilst we should be used to them by this point, seeing these cars driving around the streets of Las Vegas should be quite the spectacle! The Las Vegas Strip Circuit is 6.201km (3.853 miles) long, it features 17 corners, and there will be 50 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 3 Las Vegas Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2023, was won by Max Verstappen! Last year, Max Verstappen was victorious as both McLarens suffered a post-Race Disqualification! Currently, Max Verstappen holds the record for the most Las Vegas GP victories with 2, whilst Red Bull have also won this Race twice! Let’s see what crazy ideas F1 have for Vegas this year!

Round 23: Qatar Grand Prix (27th-29th November)

The penultimate round of the 2026 Formula 1 Season takes us to the Middle East for the Qatar Grand Prix! The Lusail International Circuit is 5.380km (3.343 miles) long, it features 16 corners, and there will be 57 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 4 Qatar Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2021, was won by Lewis Hamilton! Last year, Max Verstappen took advantage of McLaren’s horrible strategy to take another victory as Carlos Sainz brilliantly finished on the Podium for Williams! Currently, Max Verstappen holds the record for the most Qatar GP victories with 3, whilst Red Bull have also won this Race 3 times! A non-Sprint Weekend should make things slightly easier for the teams, but it’s most likely still going to be a challenge due to the FIA’s tyre concerns!

Round 24: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (4th-6th December)

Like always, the final Race of the 2026 Formula 1 Season is set to take place under the lights in Abu Dhabi! The Yas Marina Circuit is 5.281km (3.281 miles) long, it features 16 corners, and there will be 58 laps during the Grand Prix! In total, there have been 17 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s, and the inaugural event, held in 2009, was won by Sebastian Vettel! Last year, a win wasn’t enough for Max Verstappen as Lando Norris was crowned as F1’s newest World Champion! Currently, both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen hold the record for the most Abu Dhabi GP victories with 5, whilst Red Bull have won this Race 8 times! I really hope these new cars improve the racing this year, because Abu Dhabi really needs it!

Note: Thank you to everyone for reading this Season Preview as I put a lot of effort into it! Stay tuned for my upcoming Season Predictions Article!