Overview
- The race director will be able to extend FP1 at Sprint events from 2026 to recover red‑flag time, but only if the stoppage occurs before minute 45 and only at the six Sprint weekends.
- Teams are approved to deploy more than 60 operational staff at the track in 2026 to support running of the new‑generation cars.
- Pre‑season 2026 testing expands to three weeks with five private days in Barcelona followed by two Bahrain sessions, before a return to a single test in 2027.
- Alpine received FIA permission to run its 2026 car at Barcelona on January 11 in an early filming day, giving Franco Colapinto initial mileage before official tests.
- Alpine’s A526 will use a Mercedes power unit in 2026, aligning the team’s integration work with the broader rules overhaul that introduces new power units, chassis and active aerodynamics.