F1 2026 calendar unveiled: Madrid joins, Imola drops out, and two races in Spain

Formula One has revealed its full 2026 calendar, confirming a record 24-race season that will feature two Grands Prix in Spain and the debut of Madrid’s new street circuit. In a major reshuffle, Italy’s Imola circuit has been dropped, while Melbourne’s Australian Grand Prix retains its place as the season opener on March 8.

The upcoming season marks the start of a new era in Formula One, with revised engine regulations and the arrival of Cadillac as the sport’s 11th team. Shanghai returns as the venue for round two, followed by a standalone Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka on March 29.

Madrid’s much-anticipated “Madring” circuit, a semi-street layout surrounding the IFEMA exhibition centre, will make its debut on September 13, becoming the final European stop of the season. It joins the calendar alongside the traditional Spanish race in Barcelona on June 14, which enters the final year of its contract. Notably, Barcelona will no longer be designated as the Spanish Grand Prix.

Other key changes include Monaco swapping dates with Canada, which now takes place on May 24, immediately after the Miami Grand Prix. The new date avoids clashing with the 24 Hours of Le Mans but instead overlaps with the Indianapolis 500.

The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, set for August 23, will feature a sprint weekend and remains on the schedule until 2026. The season will conclude with a Middle Eastern triple-header: Las Vegas (Nov 21), Qatar (Nov 29), and Abu Dhabi (Dec 6).

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will take place in April due to Ramadan’s earlier dates in 2026. The FIA and Formula One organizers emphasized that the calendar has been designed for better regional flow, aiming to improve freight efficiency and support the sport’s sustainability goals.

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Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali welcomed the new additions:

“We are excited to welcome Madrid to the calendar and to see huge automotive brands like Audi, Cadillac, and Ford join the Formula One grid. The 2026 season is shaping up to be historic.”

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Audi is set to join as a full works team through Sauber, while Ford enters as a power unit partner to Red Bull. The 2026 season will also mark the introduction of 100% sustainable fuel, aligning with F1’s net-zero ambitions.

There will be six back-to-back weekends and two triple headers, with Austin, Mexico, and Brazil forming one block, and Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi the other. Details of the sprint format races — apart from Zandvoort — are yet to be finalized.

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Full 2026 Formula One Calendar:

  1. March 8 – Australia, Melbourne
  2. March 15 – China, Shanghai
  3. March 29 – Japan, Suzuka
  4. April 12 – Bahrain, Sakhir
  5. April 19 – Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
  6. May 3 – United States, Miami
  7. May 24 – Canada, Montreal
  8. June 7 – Monaco
  9. June 14 – Spain, Barcelona
  10. June 28 – Austria, Spielberg
  11. July 5 – Britain, Silverstone
  12. July 19 – Belgium, Spa-Francorchamps
  13. July 26 – Hungary, Budapest
  14. August 23 – Netherlands, Zandvoort (Sprint)
  15. September 6 – Italy, Monza
  16. September 13 – Spain, Madrid
  17. September 27 – Azerbaijan, Baku
  18. October 11 – Singapore
  19. October 25 – United States, Austin
  20. November 1 – Mexico, Mexico City
  21. November 8 – Brazil, Sao Paulo
  22. November 21 – United States, Las Vegas
  23. November 29 – Qatar
  24. December 6 – Abu Dhabi

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