Formula 1 Confirms 24-Race Schedule for 2026: Australia to Host Opening Round
The 2026 Formula 1 season will comprise of 24 races, with Australia remaining as the host of the opening round, according to Sky Sports F1. The news was confirmed by the F1 governing body, with the 2026 calendar featuring a new addition in the form of a Madrid circuit, which will host the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola will drop off the calendar, having hosted five races since its return as an F1 host in 2020. The Australian Grand Prix will take place on March 8, one week earlier than this year, with the Chinese Grand Prix to follow seven days later. Japan will then host a standalone race weekend before a Bahrain-Saudi Arabia double-header in mid-April.
As reported by Sky Sports F1, the Canadian Grand Prix will take place in May for the first time, having been brought forward several weeks from its usual slot to follow the Miami Grand Prix in an attempt to make the calendar more sustainable. The Monaco Grand Prix will switch to a later date, kicking off an uninterrupted European summer of racing at the start of June.
The British Grand Prix remains in its familiar slot, with the Silverstone race scheduled for July 5. The newly-added Madrid race will close out the European races in September. There are only two triple-headers on next year’s calendar, closing out the season. The races in Austin, Mexico City, and Sao Paulo will revert to running on three consecutive weekends, while Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi will again form a triple-header to close out the campaign.
“We are excited to welcome Madrid to the calendar, and to see huge automotive brands like Audi, Cadillac, and Ford join the Formula 1 grid,” said Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1, as quoted by Sky Sports F1. “It promises to be an unforgettable season, where once again we will come together at 24 amazing global venues to watch the best drivers in the world push themselves to the limit and produce incredible wheel-to-wheel racing for our millions of fans watching around the globe.”
The 2026 F1 calendar has been confirmed as follows:
* Australia – March 8
* China – March 15
* Japan – March 29
* Bahrain – April 12
* Saudi Arabia – April 19
* Miami – May 3
* Canada – May 24
* Monaco – June 7
* Spain (Barcelona) – June 14
* Austria – June 28
* Great Britain – July 5
* Belgium – July 19
* Hungary – July 26
* Netherlands – August 23
* Italy – September 6
* Spain (Madrid) – September 13
* Azerbaijan – September 27
* Singapore – October 11
* USA – October 25
* Mexico – November 1
* Brazil – November 8
* Las Vegas – November 21
* Qatar – November 29
* Abu Dhabi – December 6
The 2025 Formula 1 season resumes live on Sky Sports F1 with the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. Fans can stream Sky Sports with NOW, with no contract and the option to cancel anytime.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, added: “My thanks to everyone involved in putting on this incredible season and in delivering a calendar that continues to drive the sport forward on all fronts. And, my thanks to the fans whose passion and unwavering support keep the spirit of our sport alive,” as reported by Sky Sports F1.
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