Overview
- The 24-race season opens on 8 March in Melbourne and concludes on 6 December in Abu Dhabi, with Madrid added in place of Imola.
- A collective shakedown runs at Barcelona from 26–30 January, followed by FIA tests in Bahrain on 11–13 and 18–20 February, with each team limited to three Barcelona days.
- Paddock reporting indicates some teams may delay their first Barcelona running to gain factory time or due to parts timing, a permissible approach not viewed as a rules issue.
- Cadillac will run Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, debut a one-off monochrome camo livery in Barcelona, and unveil its race design on 8 February.
- The 2026 technical package emphasizes roughly 50% electric energy deployment, 100% sustainable fuels, and simpler power units that have attracted manufacturers, with Cadillac using Ferrari power in 2026 and targeting its own unit for 2028.