F1 2026 to begin in Australia, beloved circuit axed as 24-race calendar announced

The F1 2026 season will begin with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, it has been confirmed.

As exclusively revealed by PlanetF1.com last month, the Australian Grand Prix will open the season on March 6-8.

Imola dropped as Formula 1 introduces new-look calendar for F1 2026

The timing of Ramadan will see Round 1 of F1 2026 racing around Albert Park, just as it did to begin the 2025 season.

In doing so, it will usher in an all-new era for the world championship with sweeping new chassis and power unit regulations set to be introduced.

That promises to radically shake up the pecking order as teams grapple with active aerodynamics and an increased reliance on hybrid power.

As revealed by PlanetF1.com last month, from Australia, the F1 schedule heads to China and Japan before taking in the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix.

While the opening stanza of the calendar is the same as it was this year, notably different for F1 2026 is the tempo of those early races, with China a week after Australia, before a two-week break to Japan, and another two weeks to Bahrain.

Absent from the calendar is the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which was out of contract following its F1 2025 event, with the Imola race replaced by the new Madrid Grand Prix.

The Spanish event will conclude the European leg of the season, falling after the Italian Grand Prix in mid-September.

That event remains subject to confirmation as, like any new venue, it must be homologated by the FIA ahead of time. The Madring remains under construction around the IFEMA exhibition centre.

It has, however, prompted a reshuffle of events ahead of F1’s 2026 entry into Europe, which will be delayed until the Monaco GP on June 7.

The Canadian and Monaco grands prix have swapped dates with Montreal hosting Round 7 of the season, three weeks after F1’s first visit to the United States at the Miami Grand Prix.

That means the Canadian GP will clash with the Indianapolis 500.

From Canada, F1 heads to Monaco, kicking off a nine-event run through the sport’s traditional heartland.

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There are a total of just six back-to-back weekends in F1 2026 with the first triple-header coming only once the schedule reaches the United States in October.

That heralds the start of a busy finale to the year, with Mexico City and Sao Paulo grands prix following in consecutive weekends.

There is then less than two weeks before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is followed by Qatar and Abu Dhabi in a fast-paced conclusion to the championship with six events in seven weeks.

Next year’s calendar also likely marks the final appearance of the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and the final Dutch Grand Prix with officials stating they will not be seeking a renewal.

Also included on the F1 2026 calendar is the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21 – another Saturday night race – despite its contract expiring this year.

We can therefore deduce that an extension has been put in place, though there has been no formal announcement of such.

“2026 will be a new era for Formula 1 where we will witness a brand-new set of regulations for our sport, the cars and the engines that will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel,” said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1.

“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.

“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.

“I want to thank all our fans for their passionate support and the FIA, with all the volunteers, marshals and officials, as well as the promoters, partners, sponsors, host cities and the local motor racing federations for their commitment and support in delivering this schedule in what I know will be another historic year for Formula 1.”

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, added: “Next year’s FIA Formula 1 World Championship marks a significant new chapter for our sport.

“A new race, new teams, and the arrival of new manufacturers, all ushering in a fresh era of innovation and competition.

“With 24 grands prix across five continents, the season truly reflects the global nature of our community, while the improved geographical flow of the calendar shows our joint commitment to making the championship more efficient and sustainable.

“The debut of Madrid, the arrival of iconic brands like Audi, Cadillac, and Ford, and the introduction of the next generation of F1 cars powered by 100 per cent advanced sustainable fuels signal an exciting new era of racing.

“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.”

The 24-event calendar is the longest allowed under the Concorde Agreement without the unanimous approval of teams.

The new-look schedule is the product of efforts to streamline the sport’s logistics to both reduce its carbon footprint and ease the burden on those who work in the paddock.

Full F1 2026 calendar

March 8: Australian Grand Prix
March 15: Chinese Grand Prix
March 29: Japanese Grand Prix
April 12: Bahrain Grand Prix
April 19: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
May 3: Miami Grand Prix
May 24: Canadian Grand Prix
June 7: Monaco Grand Prix
June 14: Spanish Grand Prix
June 28: Austrian Grand Prix
July 5: British Grand Prix
July 19: Belgian Grand Prix
July 26: Hungarian Grand Prix
August 23: Dutch Grand Prix
September 6: Italian Grand Prix
September 13: Madrid Grand Prix
September 27: Azerbaijan Grand Prix
October 11: Singapore Grand Prix
October 25: United States Grand Prix
November 1: Mexico City Grand Prix
November 8: Sao Paulo Grand Prix
November 21: Las Vegas Grand Prix
November 29: Qatar Grand Prix
December 6: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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