F1 2026: Full Schedule, Dates and How to Watch Every Team’s Car Launch
Although the 2025 Formula 1 season has only just concluded, attention is already firmly turning toward 2026, a year set to usher in one of the most dramatic rule changes in the sport’s history. With sweeping new regulations affecting both chassis design and power units, fans will get their first glimpse of the next-generation cars during a busy period of team launch events scheduled throughout January and early February.
The winter break will be a short one for teams and drivers. Pre-season testing for the 2026 campaign begins earlier than usual, starting on January 26 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. That test will run for three days and will be followed by two further test sessions in Bahrain. The expanded testing programme reflects the scale of the technical overhaul taking place across Formula 1.
The new season itself officially gets underway on March 6 with the Australian Grand Prix, but long before the lights go out in Melbourne, teams will reveal their brand-new machines in a series of high-profile launch events across the globe.
The 2026 car launch season will kick off in mid-January, with Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls opening proceedings. The two sister teams will hold a joint event in Detroit on January 15, marking the beginning of their partnership with new power unit supplier Ford. Both teams will unveil their 2026 challengers at the same venue, with fans able to follow the event live via Red Bull’s official website and YouTube channels.
Five days later, attention will turn to Germany, where Audi will reveal its first Formula 1 car since officially taking over the Sauber operation. The Berlin-based launch on January 20 is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the winter, as Audi prepares to make its long-awaited works debut in F1. The launch will be streamed on YouTube and across Audi’s social media platforms.
That same date will also see Honda step into the spotlight in Tokyo. While Aston Martin’s full car launch comes later, Honda will host a dedicated event focused on its all-new 2026 power unit, marking the manufacturer’s return as a works engine supplier under the revised regulations.
January 23 promises to be one of the busiest days of the launch calendar, with three teams set to unveil their cars. Ferrari will host its launch at Fiorano, revealing its latest design at the team’s iconic test circuit. The event will be broadcast via Ferrari’s YouTube channel and official social media platforms.
Haas will also launch its 2026 car on the same day, although the team has yet to confirm the location of the event. Fans will still be able to watch the reveal through Haas’ official website and social media channels. Alpine completes the trio, unveiling its new challenger in Barcelona, with coverage available on YouTube and the team’s online platforms.
February will see the final wave of launches, headlined by two major names. Cadillac, one of two new teams joining the grid in 2026, will unveil its first-ever Formula 1 livery on February 8 in Santa Clara, USA. The American outfit’s debut car reveal is expected to attract significant attention, with the launch streamed via the Cadillac F1 website and YouTube.
Aston Martin will round out the confirmed launch schedule on February 9. While details around the location and broadcast remain unannounced, the Silverstone-based team will reveal its car after completing its first pre-season shakedown in Barcelona, making it the last confirmed team to launch ahead of testing.
At present, Mercedes and McLaren have yet to confirm dates, locations or broadcast details for their 2026 launches, with announcements expected in the coming weeks.
With radical regulation changes, new manufacturers, and fresh technical philosophies shaping the future of Formula 1, the 2026 launch season promises to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory. For fans, January and February will offer the first real insight into which teams may have mastered the new era — and which still have work to do before the racing begins.
