2026 F1 calendar: The new schedule and start times
F1 announces its 2026 schedule: 24 races on the calendar as Imola is dropped, Madrid arrives and the Canadian Grand Prix clashes directly with the Indianapolis 500
The 2026 Formula 1 season isn’t settled yet – but it turns out the calendar for this year isn’t either. F1’s title decider is traditionally in Abu Dhabi, but it now looks like the final two races will be replaced with a single race in Imola.
The main cause of this is the conflict in the Middle East – the main cause of the uncertainty around the beginning of the season – and the 2027 season, too. It’s also why Bahrain and Saudi Arabia disappeared from the calendar earlier in the 2026 season.
Formula 1’s 2026 season is increasingly looking like Imola
Domenicali has said repeatedly that if the Gulf rounds can’t happen, the championship will finish in Europe instead, and new reports say that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Imola has reportedly been assigned 6th December – officially still Abu Dhabi’s date – to host an Emilia Romagna and Made in Italy Grand Prix. The Qatar round, the weekend before, would be scrapped entirely rather than moved.
A 23 race season
The new plan means that the 2026 season will end with 23 races rather than 24, with the title fight ending a week earlier than planned – and somewhere considerably colder than previously planned too. That new timeslot has another quirk: it could mean Kimi Antonelli clinches the title sooner, with his record of youngest ever champion that bit more impressive. It’d also be in front of an Italian crowd.
An earlier Imola round may have implications for Antonelli’s youngest champion record
2026 Formula 1 calendar
| Date | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 06-08 March | Australia | Melbourne |
| 13-15 March (Sprint) | China | Shanghai |
| 27-29 March | Japan | Suzuka |
| 01-03 May | USA | Miami |
| 22-24 May (Sprint) | Canada | Montreal |
| 05-07 June | Monaco | Monaco |
| 12–14 June | Spain | Barcelona-Catalunya |
| 26-28 June | Austria | Spielberg |
| 03-05 July (Sprint) | United Kingdom | Silverstone |
| 17-19 July | Belgium | Spa-Francorchamps |
| 24-26 July | Hungary | Budapest |
| 21-23 August (Sprint) | Netherlands | Zandvoort |
| 04-06 September | Italy | Monza |
| 11-13 September | Spain | Madrid* |
| 25-27 September | Azerbaijan | Baku |
| 2-4 October | Bahrain GP | Sepang Circuit |
| 09-11 October (Sprint) | Singapore | Singapore |
| 23-25 October | USA | Austin |
| 30 October – 01 November | Mexico | Mexico City |
| 06-08 November | Brazil | São Paulo |
| 20-22 November | USA | Las Vegas |
| 04-06 December | Italy | Imola* |
*Uncomfirmed
** The Bahrain GP goes ahead at a new date, though it’s confusingly hosted at Malayasia’s Sepang circuit
2026 F1 race start times
| Venue, race date | Sprint (local time) | Qualifying (local time) | Race (local time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia, Mar 8 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| China, Mar 15 | 11am | 3pm | 2pm |
| Japan, Mar 29 | – | 3pm | 2pm |
| Miami, May 3 | 12pm | 4pm | 4pm |
| Canada, May 24 | 12pm | 4pm | 4pm |
| Monaco, Jun 7 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Barcelona, Jun 14 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Austria, Jun 28 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Great Britain, Jul 5 | 12pm | 4pm | 3pm |
| Belgium, Jul 19 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Hungary, Jul 26 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Netherlands, Aug 23 | 1200 | 4pm | 3pm |
| Italy, Sep 6 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Spain, Sep 13 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Azerbaijan, Sep 26 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Singapore, Oct 11 | 12pm | 2100 | 8pm |
| United States, Oct 25 | – | 4pm | 3pm |
| Mexico, Nov 1 | – | 3pm | 2pm |
| Brazil, Nov 8 | – | 3pm | 2pm |
| Las Vegas, Nov 21 | – | 8pm | 8pm |