Formula 1 2026 schedule: Australia remains host of opening race as 24-race calendar confirmed with new Madrid circuit

Formula 1 has confirmed a 24-race schedule for 2026 that will see Australia remain as the host of the opening round of the season.

Madrid, as had already been confirmed, is the only circuit added to the schedule as the new host of the Spanish Grand Prix, with Barcelona staying on in the final year of its current contract with F1.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola drops off the calendar, as expected, having held five races since returning as an F1 host in 2020.

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As was the case in 2025, the timing of Ramadan means Bahrain cannot host the first round in March, which means Albert Park in Melbourne will tick off the second of five occasions of which it is contracted to host the race as part of a deal until 2037.

The Australian Grand Prix is on March 8, one week earlier than this year, with the Chinese Grand Prix to follow seven days later. Japan is then a standalone race weekend before a Bahrain-Saudi Arabia double-header in mid-April.

The Canadian Grand Prix will take place in May for the first time having been brought forward several weeks from its usual slot to follow the Miami Grand Prix in an attempt to make the calendar more sustainable.

Switching later to facilitate the move is the Monaco Grand Prix, which will kick off an uninterrupted European summer of racing at the start of June.

The British Grand Prix remains in its familiar slot, with the Silverstone race scheduled for July 5.

The newly-added Madrid race will close out the European races in September.

There are only two triple-headers on next year's calendar, both at the end of the campaign.

The races in Austin, Mexico City and Sao Paulo revert to running on three consecutive weekends, while Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi again form a triple-header over the season's final three weeks.

President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, said: "We are excited to welcome Madrid to the calendar, and to see huge automotive brands like Audi, Cadillac and Ford join the Formula 1 grid. It promises to be an unforgettable season, where once again we will come together at 24 amazing global venues to watch the best drivers in the world push themselves to the limit and produce incredible wheel to wheel racing for our millions of fans watching around the globe."

President of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, added: "My thanks to everyone involved in putting on this incredible season and in delivering a calendar that continues to drive the sport forward on all fronts. And, my thanks to the fans whose passion and unwavering support keep the spirit of our sport alive."

2026 Formula 1 race calendar

March 6-8: Australia
March 13-15: China
March 27- 29: Japan
April 10-12: Bahrain
April 17-19: Saudi Arabia
May 1-3: Miami
May 22-24: Canada
June 5-7: Monaco
June 12-14: Spain (Barcelona)
June 26- 28: Austria
July 3-5: Great Britain
July 17-19: Belgium
July 24-26: Hungary
August 21-23: Netherlands
September 4-6: Italy
September 11-13: Spain (Madrid)
September 25-27: Azerbaijan
October 9-11: Singapore
October 23-25: USA
October 30 - November 1: Mexico
November 6-8: Brazil
November 19-21: Las Vegas
November 27-29: Qatar
December 4-6: Abu Dhabi

The 2025 Formula 1 resumes live on Sky Sports F1 with the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime.

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Formula 1 2026 schedule: Australia remains host of opening race as 24-race calendar confirmed with new Madrid circuit