Overview
- Teams will run a private shakedown at Barcelona on January 26–30 before two Bahrain tests on February 11–13 and 18–20 ahead of the Australian Grand Prix on March 6–8.
- Mercedes will release W17 renders on January 22 and stage a full online season launch on February 2 with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
- Ferrari says Barcelona work will prioritise mileage and reliability, with an initial baseline ‘spec A’ expected to differ from the car that races in Melbourne.
- Launch plans are set across the grid: Red Bull and Racing Bulls on January 15, Audi on January 20, Ferrari/Alpine/Haas on January 23, Williams on February 3, Cadillac’s livery during the Super Bowl on February 8, and Aston Martin on February 9.
- New 2026 features include a 50/50 internal combustion–electric power split, active aero, an overtake mode replacing DRS, and a short‑burst boost mode.