In just under a month, the season will officially get underway, with Montmeló hosting the first official shakedown of the new cars — machines that have been radically overhauled both externally and, above all, under the skin compared to the previous generation.

Barcelona will mark the first of three test sessions leading up to the opening race in Australia.

Two further tests are scheduled to take place in Bahrain, running from 11–13 February and 18–20 February, before the paddock heads to Albert Park for the season opener on the weekend of 6–8 March.

Before that, however, there will be plenty of focus on the car launch season, with McLaren now the only team yet to confirm the unveiling date of its new challenger, as it prepares to defend the double title it secured last year.

Many projects already have an official name in place — such as Mercedes’ W17, which will carry on the team’s iconic “W” designation, Williams’ FW48, or Alpine’s A526 — while others are still in the process of being finalised.

The new campaign will get underway one week earlier than last year, with Melbourne once again staging the season opener, while Abu Dhabi — as has become customary — will host the championship finale.

The 2026 calendar will once again feature 24 Grands Prix, alongside six sprint races, bringing the total number of competitive events to 30 between March and December. The result is a relentlessly busy schedule, offering more on-track action than ever before.

The most notable change sees the Imola Grand Prix dropped from the calendar, leaving Italy with just one race. Spain, by contrast, gains an additional round, with Madrid joining Barcelona on the schedule at different stages of the season.