How 2026 will redefine Formula 1: What to expect from the new era

December 14, 2025 Oliver Obel

The FIA has confirmed that next year’s cars will be lighter, narrower and powered by fully sustainable fuels, part of a broader environmental plan shaping the championship’s future. According to BBC Sport, the regulations represent the most ambitious joint overhaul of chassis and engine rules the series has attempted.

The hybrid power units remain 1.6-litre V6 turbos, but with significant changes: the MGU-H is eliminated, and electrical output will account for roughly half of total power a major shift in how cars recover and deploy energy.

Aerodynamic concepts also change, with the ground-effect direction from 2022 abandoned in favour of movable wings aimed at improving energy harvesting and straight-line speed.

Drivers are bracing for an unpredictable learning curve. As Lewis Hamilton told BBC Sport, “It’s really, really hard to predict what it’s going to be like… Maybe overtaking will be incredible.” His comments capture a wider uncertainty across the field.

A teenage Brit steps up as the driver market shifts

While many teams keep their 2025 pairings, several notable moves reshape the grid. BBC Sport reports that Isack Hadjar will be promoted to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull after securing his first F1 podium earlier this year.

His former seat at the junior Racing Bulls team goes to 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad, who arrives from Formula 2 and will race alongside Liam Lawson. BBC Sport highlighted that Lindblad was born months after Fernando Alonso claimed his first championship an illustration of how rapidly new generations are now arriving in F1.

New manufacturers take their places

One of the most significant developments is the addition of an 11th team, as Cadillac supported by parent company General Motors joins the championship. As reported by BBC Sport, the American outfit will rely on Ferrari engines until GM’s in-house power units are ready in 2029. Veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will lead the new project.

Audi enters the grid differently, completing its full takeover of Sauber. The reorganised squad will run its own power unit and field Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, with Jonathan Wheatley as team principal and Mattia Binotto overseeing the broader programme.

Engine partnerships reshuffled

Next season also resets several major technical alliances. Red Bull begins its long-anticipated partnership with Ford, which is funding the team’s new power-unit development. Honda shifts its support to Aston Martin, while Renault’s withdrawal from F1 engine manufacturing leaves Alpine sourcing customer units from Mercedes.

Calendar changes with a new Spanish venue

The 2026 season keeps its 24-race length but reshapes the European summer. Madrid will host its first grand prix on a hybrid street-and-purpose-built circuit, replacing Imola’s Emilia-Romagna race. Barcelona stays on the schedule but moves slightly earlier in June.

Canada switches to a May slot, aligning it with Miami, while Monaco shifts to June. Six sprint weekends remain, including rounds at Silverstone, China, Canada, Miami, Singapore and Zandvoort its final year on the calendar.

Sources: BBC Sport, FIA