Formula 1 Changes and 2026 Season Preview

The 2026 Formula 1 season brings big changes to the sport. Formula 1 changes include new cars for drivers, new power units, changes to car weight and size, new aerodynamics, and tire updates. There are also new track zones, changes to qualifying, and a higher budget for teams. One new team will join the grid this season. This article explains all the key changes and looks forward to the new season.

• Cadillac joins as a new F1 team, increasing the grid from 20 to 22 drivers
• Drivers start the 2026 season with new cars, reflecting key Formula 1 car changes
• George Russell and Mercedes are the main favourites for the titles
• Arvid Lindblad is the only F1 rookie, promoted from Formula 2
• The season still has 24 rounds, ending on December 6 in Abu Dhabi

Drivers begin the 2026 Formula 1 season in new machinery. Teams have been preparing for these regulations for several years, and the package is described as the biggest change in F1 history. It is not only the cars that look different. Several additional Formula 1 rule changes have also been introduced. Below is a closer look at the main changes.

The MGU H (Motor Generator Unit, Heat) has been removed. The output of the MGU K (Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic) increases from 120 kW to 350 kW. The internal combustion engine drops from around 550 kW to 400 kW. The battery can now be recharged with more than twice the previous 4 MJ per lap. These changes are aimed at having cars that run roughly 50% on sustainable fuels and 50% on electricity.

The maximum wheelbase is reduced by 20 cm, to 340 cm instead of 360 cm, and the car’s track width is 10 cm narrower. The front tires are 2.5 cm narrower, and the rears are 3 cm narrower. The minimum weight limit goes down from 800 kg in 2025 to 768 kg this year.

Cars will now have two wing configurations, one for straights and one for corners, and wheel covers are removed. The aim is to reduce outwash, the way turbulent air is pushed away from the car and disturbs a following car, and to improve the ability to follow closely.

The Drag Reduction System (DRS) is replaced by a new feature called Overtake Mode. It allows a driver to recharge an additional 0.5 MJ and create an extra electrical power profile, which helps maintain higher speed for a longer period.Boost allows a driver to use extra harvested energy whenever it is available. The boost button is effectively always open and can be used for overtaking, defending or simply improving lap time whenever the driver chooses.

Six cars, not five, are now eliminated at the end of the 18 minute first phase of qualifying. The same applies in Q2, where another six drivers will not progress from the 15 minute segment. Q3 remains unchanged at 13 minutes, with the fastest 10 cars fighting for pole position and the front places on the grid.

Last year’s $135 million cost cap increases to $215 million. The power unit cost cap rises from $95 million to $130 million.

In 2026, Formula 1 changes bring 11 teams to the grid, up from 10, with Cadillac joining as a new team. The last new entrant debuted in 2016. Additionally, three new engine manufacturers enter the championship this year.

Audi bought the Sauber team in 2024 and spent the last two seasons using Ferrari power units. From 2026 Audi races as a full factory team. Ford returns to F1 and partners with Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. Honda links up with Aston Martin after the team had been using Mercedes power units from 2009 until now.

This Formula 1 season brings a new team and increases the number of drivers from 20 to 22. Haas, which joined in 2016, was the last team to enter F1, and ten years later the eleventh team arrives in the form of Cadillac.

Cadillac is preparing for its F1 debut with experienced and well-known drivers. The line up consists of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. Neither driver raced last season. Thirty-six-year-old Sergio Perez had a contract with Red Bull Racing until 2026, but by mutual agreement it was terminated at the end of the 2024 season, and he spent last year without a seat.

Thirty-six-year-old Valtteri Bottas last raced in F1 in 2024 with Sauber. Last season the Finn worked as Mercedes reserve driver.

Alongside Cadillac bringing two familiar names back to the grid, several other changes took place before the 2026 season.

Isack Hadjar moves from Racing Bulls to the senior Red Bull Racing team, where he replaces Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver remains part of the Red Bull Racing structure and will be the team’s test and reserve driver this year.

Eighteen-year-old Arvid Lindblad arrives from Formula 2 to replace Hadjar at Racing Bulls. Lindblad has been part of the Red Bull Junior Team since 2021 and now gets the opportunity to debut in F1. He is the only rookie who will start the season on the Formula 1 grid.

From 2014 to 2024 only three drivers became Formula 1 world champion. Lewis Hamilton took six titles in seven years. In 2016 the champion was Nico Rosberg. From 2021 Max Verstappen won four titles in a row, and last season brought another new champion in Lando Norris.

Usually, the same few drivers dominate Formula 1, but the major changes ahead of 2026 have shaken up the competitive balance. Norris, who won the title, is not among the main favourites this time.

A similar picture appears among the constructors. Since 2010 only three teams have won the championship. Mercedes and Red Bull dominated for a long period, while McLaren has taken the last two titles. This year Red Bull is not listed among the main favourites. Mercedes and McLaren are seen as the leading contenders.

George Russell is regarded as the main favourite to become F1 champion, which would be the first title of his career. Other leading candidates are Charles Leclerc, who has also never been champion, and Max Verstappen, considered one of the best drivers of his generation. 

The main outright odds are:

• George Russell (Mercedes) – 2.98
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) – 4.15
• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 6.20
• Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 8.20
• Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 10.20
• Lando Norris (McLaren) – 10.20
• Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 15.50
• Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 65.00

Among the constructors there are three clear favourites who are expected to share the top three places. Mercedes is given the best chance to regain the title, which it last won in 2021.

• Mercedes – 2.23
• McLaren – 3.54
• Ferrari – 3.62
• Red Bull Racing – 8.10
• Aston Martin – 50.00

The 2026 Formula 1 season starts on March 8 with the Australian Grand Prix. As in recent years there will be 24 rounds in total. The final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, takes place on December 6.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix disappears from this year’s calendar and is replaced by the Spanish Grand Prix. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on a Saturday, while all other races keep the traditional Sunday slot.

The 2026 Formula 1 season promises a lot of intrigue with significant Formula 1 changes. Until teams and drivers fully adapt, it would not be surprising to see more accidents than usual. Many teams have been preparing for this regulation cycle for several years, so the first rounds should show who has done the best job.

As usual in Formula 1, outright odds are relatively high. At the start of the season, it is recommended to spend time getting to know the drivers and teams, then begin placing bets with the best bookmakers. Team line-ups are almost unchanged, and only one new driver debuts, so the main focus will be on the new cars.