The Sport Prepares for Its Most Radical Rule Overhaul
The 2025 season ends with McLaren celebrating both titles, but 2026 brings a dramatic shift. Formula 1 introduces sweeping technical rules and expands the grid to eleven teams. A major British sports outlet explains what fans should expect as the series enters a bold new phase.
The rule package marks the biggest transformation in many years. Cars become 30 kilograms lighter, ten centimetres narrower and far more efficient. Power units move toward an equal split between electric and combustion output. Fully sustainable fuels complete the revolution.
The impact on racing remains unclear. The sport has never changed chassis and engine rules so drastically at once. Aerodynamics undergo major updates. The 1.6-litre V6 hybrid stays, but the MGU-H disappears and the electric share rises to about 50 percent.
These changes force designers to rethink airflow completely. Ground-effect tunnels disappear. Movable wings return front and rear to boost straight-line speed and increase energy recovery under braking. Drivers express concern because the new balance may feel unpredictable.
The combustion engine will often work as a generator and may reach maximum revs in some corners. DRS vanishes because the rear wing now serves new purposes. A push-to-pass button replaces it and provides short electrical boosts.
Lewis Hamilton says he cannot predict the outcome. He explains that the cars feel very different and expects rain driving to become extremely challenging. Still, he hopes the final product may surprise everyone.
British Teen Arvid Lindblad Steps Up to Formula 1
Most drivers stay in place for 2026, yet a few moves stand out, including the arrival of a young British rookie.
Isack Hadjar leaves Racing Bulls and joins Max Verstappen at Red Bull after earning his first podium at Zandvoort.
Arvid Lindblad, an 18-year-old Briton with Swedish and Indian roots, takes Hadjar’s former seat. He finishes his Formula 2 year in sixth place with Campos Racing and now teams up with Liam Lawson.
Cadillac Joins the Grid as the Eleventh Team
Cadillac enters Formula 1 with support from General Motors.
The new squad chooses experience and signs Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, who share 106 podium finishes.
Graeme Lowdon becomes team principal after working with Virgin and Marussia.
Cadillac uses Ferrari engines for three seasons before switching to its own GM-built units in 2029.
Audi Completes Sauber Takeover and Enters as a Works Team
Audi arrives in a different way and fully acquires the Swiss Sauber team, which finished ninth in 2025.
Audi develops its own engine for the 2026 rules. Jonathan Wheatley becomes team boss and works alongside Mattia Binotto, who leads the full Audi project.
Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto continue as the line-up for Audi’s first season.
Ford Links with Red Bull as Renault Ends Its Engine Programme
Red Bull starts a new engine partnership with Ford. Ford co-funds Red Bull’s power-unit development for the 2026 era.
The move ends Red Bull’s long partnership with Honda. Honda becomes the works supplier for Aston Martin, where Adrian Newey takes over as team principal after major changes.
Renault leaves engine building entirely. Alpine now buys Mercedes power units.
Madrid Takes Imola’s Place on the 2026 Calendar
The 2026 calendar still features 24 races. The season begins in March in Australia and ends in December in Abu Dhabi. Spain hosts two races for the new year.
Madrid replaces Imola with a fresh hybrid layout called the Madring. The circuit uses a mix of public roads and private sections still under construction.
The Madrid event runs from 11–13 September and closes the uninterrupted European stretch of the season.
Barcelona remains on the schedule as the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix from 12–14 June.
Canada shifts to 22–24 May to sit closer to the Miami race from 1–3 May.
Monaco follows on 5–7 June.
Six sprint races return. Silverstone joins China, Miami, Canada, Zandvoort and Singapore, with Zandvoort hosting its final appearance.
