Formula 1 reveals 2026 calendar: Madrid joins the party as start times confirmed

Formula 1 has formally locked in the shape of its new‑era 2026 season, confirming a 24‑race calendar, the long‑trailed arrival of Madrid as Spain’s second venue, and a full list of local start times that will govern the first year of the sport’s next regulatory revolution. The championship will again span 24 rounds across five continents, starting in Melbourne on 6‑8 March and finishing in Abu Dhabi on 4‑6 December. Madrid’s debut, set for 11‑13 September on a semi‑street circuit centred around the IFEMA exhibition site, replaces Barcelona as host of the Spanish Grand Prix later in the year while keeping the traditional Barcelona race in June. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8] ## A new look calendar for a new rules era The 2026 Formula One World Championship will be the first run under radically revised technical regulations, with new chassis concepts, extensive active aerodynamics and power units using 100% sustainable fuels. Against that backdrop, Formula 1 and the FIA have opted not for expansion, but for consolidation at 24 races – matching the record set in 2023 and 2024 – while subtly reshaping the geographical flow of the year. The opening phase remains a flyaway swing through Asia and the Middle East, but with one crucial tweak dictated by the 2026 Ramadan period. With Ramadan falling across February and March, both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix shift into April, creating an opening triple‑header of Australia (6‑8 March), China (13‑15 March, also a Sprint weekend), and Japan (27‑29 March) before the calendar moves west. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8] From there, the tour heads to Bahrain (10‑12 April) and Saudi Arabia (17‑19 April) under the lights, then crosses the Atlantic for a North American pair: Miami on 1‑3 May and Canada three weeks later on 22‑24 May, with both events designated as Sprint weekends. This re‑ordering – Canada now directly following Miami rather than being isolated in June – is designed to cut freight mileage and carbon footprint, and to give teams a more coherent early‑season rhythm. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8] The heart of the season is an old‑school European run stretching from early June to mid‑September. Monaco opens the European leg on 5‑7 June, followed in quick succession by Barcelona (12‑14 June), Austria (26‑28 June), Great Britain (3‑5 July, also a Sprint weekend), Belgium (17‑19 July), Hungary (24‑26 July), and the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on 21‑23 August – the latter also awarded a Sprint. Italy’s traditional Monza round is fixed for 4‑6 September. One week later comes the new marquee attraction: Madrid, which steps onto the schedule as the second Spanish race and the final European round of the year. The event, formally titled the Spanish Grand Prix, is listed for 11‑13 September, subject to FIA circuit homologation, on a 5‑kilometre layout combining new permanent sections with reworked public roads around the IFEMA site in the north‑east of the capital. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8] Beyond Europe, the calendar flows into a late‑season run that has become familiar since the pandemic era: Azerbaijan on 24‑26 September, Singapore on 9‑11 October (also a Sprint weekend), Austin on 23‑25 October, Mexico City from 30 October to 1 November, São Paulo on 6‑8 November, Las Vegas on 19‑21 November, Qatar on 27‑29 November, and the Abu Dhabi finale on 4‑6 December. Sky Sports’ breakdown of the schedule confirms that Imola drops off the 2026 slate, leaving Monza as Italy’s sole representative and Madrid as the only new venue, while maintaining the total race count at 24. [Source: https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12040/13478323] ## Madrid’s moment: Spain becomes a two‑stop story Madrid’s inclusion has been in the works for more than a year, but the finalised calendar crystallises how Spain’s dual‑race status will work in practice. Barcelona retains its long‑standing early‑summer slot on 12‑14 June, formally titled the Spanish Grand Prix on the F1 calendar, while the new September Madrid race is also listed under Spain – with the Formula 1 organisation clarifying that the IFEMA‑based event will carry the Spanish Grand Prix title from 2026 as part of a new, long‑term deal. [Source: https://www.madring.com/en/calendar/2026] The Madrid circuit – branded MADRING by local promoters – is a hybrid street and permanent facility built around the IFEMA convention complex and nearby roads, targeting strong public‑transport access and a stadium‑like spectator experience. Local organisers have promoted the 2026 date as the city’s first modern F1 race and the culmination of a 10‑year agreement to host the Spanish Grand Prix. [Source: https://www.madring.com/en/calendar/2026] In announcing the calendar, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali framed Madrid’s arrival as a symbol of the series’ broader shift going into the 2026 rules era. “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,” Domenicali said. “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.” [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8] FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem echoed that sentiment, calling Madrid’s debut and the new‑manufacturer influx “an exciting new era of racing” and highlighting the improved “geographical flow of the calendar” as part of Formula 1’s sustainability drive. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8] ## Start times locked in: later afternoons, night races preserved Alongside the race dates, Formula 1 has also published the local start times for all 24 rounds. The overall philosophy mirrors recent seasons: keep the bulk of European races in the late afternoon, maintain iconic night events where they are, and position North American grands prix in time slots that are friendly to European primetime without excessively punishing local fans. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/official-grand-prix-start-times-for-2026-f1-season-confirmed.2UgPfArqH76tzlOYh21jSG] The season‑opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne will see lights out at 15:00 local on Sunday 8 March, with qualifying at 16:00 the day before. China’s Sprint weekend in Shanghai features an 11:00 Saturday Sprint and a 15:00 qualifying session, with the Grand Prix itself also set for 15:00 local on Sunday 15 March. Japan’s Suzuka round is scheduled for a 14:00 race start. The Middle Eastern races retain their twilight character. Bahrain’s Sunday race will begin at 18:00 local, with qualifying under the lights at 19:00, while Jeddah’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix maintains its full‑night identity with both qualifying and race starting at 20:00. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/official-grand-prix-start-times-for-2026-f1-season-confirmed.2UgPfArqH76tzlOYh21jSG] North America’s early‑season double sees both Miami and Montreal set to run their Saturday Sprints at 12:00 local, followed by 16:00 qualifying and 16:00 Sunday race starts. The United States Grand Prix in Austin slots into a familiar 15:00 local green flag, with Mexico and Brazil starting an hour earlier at 14:00. In Europe, the pattern is consistent: Monaco, Barcelona, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Italy and Spain’s new Madrid race will all start at 15:00 local, with 16:00 qualifying sessions on the preceding afternoon, while Silverstone’s British Grand Prix is pegged for a 15:00 lights‑out. Singapore stays as a night spectacle, with a 20:00 Sunday race start and a 21:00 qualifying session the night before. Las Vegas and Qatar, both late‑season flyaways, retain their ultra‑late local timings at 20:00 and 19:00 respectively, with qualifying and race both after dark. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/official-grand-prix-start-times-for-2026-f1-season-confirmed.2UgPfArqH76tzlOYh21jSG] For fans, these timings will feel broadly familiar – an intentional choice as F1 heads into a period of on‑track upheaval. For teams, the certainty on start times, combined with a more rational logistics map, gives planners a clearer framework for preparing what many in the paddock expect to be the most complex season in recent memory. ## Six Sprint weekends and a packed build‑up While the headline announcement focused on the grand prix calendar and main start times, 2026 will also feature six Sprint weekends, maintained from 2025 but with a subtle reshuffle of venues. As confirmed separately by Formula 1 and detailed by Sky Sports, those shorter Saturday races will take place in China, Miami, Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Singapore. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8][Source: https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12040/13478323] The competitive season will also effectively start well before Australia. Three pre‑season tests are scheduled: a private shakedown at Barcelona’s Circuit de Barcelona‑Catalunya from 26‑30 January, followed by two three‑day tests in Bahrain on 11‑13 and 18‑20 February. With radically new cars, those nine days of running will be vital, particularly for Audi and Cadillac as new‑era manufacturers, and for Madrid’s organisers, who will be watching closely to benchmark performance ahead of their own debut later in the year. [Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/formula-1-reveals-calendar-for-2026-season.YctbMZWqBvrgyddrnauo8] ## What it all means for 2026 Beyond the raw dates and times, the 2026 calendar underlines Formula 1’s current philosophy: no further expansion in race count, at least for now, but a willingness to reshuffle within that 24‑race cap to accommodate strategically important markets. Madrid ticks several of F1’s current boxes. It is backed by strong local government support and major infrastructure investment, offers a downtown‑adjacent venue with excellent public‑transport links, and gives Spain a high‑gloss, stadium‑style event to complement Barcelona’s more traditional circuit race. The IFEMA‑based layout, heavily promoted by local organisers, promises multiple overtaking zones and short travel times between city centre, airport and track. [Source: https://www.madring.com/en/calendar/2026] For the paddock, the calendar’s more logical continental groupings – particularly the early‑season Miami‑Canada pairing and the unchanged late‑season Americas triple‑header – should marginally ease the strain of a 24‑race slog, though teams will still face two stretches of back‑to‑back‑to‑back weekends. Fans, meanwhile, can mark their diaries with the reassurance that most traditional slots remain: Melbourne in March, Monaco in early June, Silverstone in early July, Monza in early September and Abu Dhabi in early December. With new cars, new power units, new manufacturers and now a fully‑mapped global tour, the 2026 season is rapidly taking shape. The spotlight will rightly fall on the technology and competitive order, but the paperwork is done: 24 races, six Sprints, Madrid stepping into the limelight – and lights‑out times now inked into calendars from Melbourne to Madrid and beyond.