F1 launches: Dates, schedule for 2026 car, livery, team reveals ahead of season featuring new regulations | F1 News

Formula 1 is poised to begin a new era of much-changed cars and engines in 2026, which is making ‘launch season’ one of the most eagerly-anticipated in years.

With pre-season testing beginning from Monday January 26, initially with behind-closed-doors running in Barcelona, teams have started to show off their 2026 looks and cars several weeks earlier than recent years as they ramp up preparations for the 24-race campaign from March.

Seven of the 11-strong 2026 grid held launch events ahead of the first test, while four more – Williams, Cadillac, McLaren and Aston Martin – are still to come ahead of the first Bahrain test in early February.

Here is what we have seen so far and what’s still to come from February 3 – plus your chance to VOTE for your favourite 2026 look so far in our poll.

Revealed on January 15 – Red Bull and Racing Bulls

The two Red Bull teams kicked off their new engine era at the Detroit headquarters of partners Ford by revealing their respective 2026 car liveries.

Red Bull revealed a throwback look as they incorporated more blue to their 2026 livery than has been seen in recent designs.

Racing Bulls stuck with their sleek white design, but also added some blue accents in a nod to Ford.

Revealed on January 19 – Haas

Haas originally scheduled their launch for Friday January 23 but then changed it to avoid a clash with Ferrari and Alpine.

The reveal was significant in that Haas revealed digital images of their actual 2026 car, the VF-26, becoming the first team to take that step.

The livery featured more white and red than the previous year’s car, with additional nods to their new title sponsor Toyota Gazoo Racing.

Revealed January 20 – Audi

They aren’t a brand new team like Cadillac, but Sauber’s transition to Audi became official when the German outfit held a “global launch” event in Berlin.

The team had already shared their livery concept back in November 2025, but unveiled the final look with an impressive collection of sponsors filling out the titanium silver and bright red scheme.

A hugely ambitious target was laid out as the wider Audi brand chief executive said he wants to see a championship within five years.

Revealed on January 22 – Mercedes

Is this going to be the car and engine combination to beat in the first year of F1’s new era?

Hotly-tipped Mercedes released the first renders of their latest challenger, the W17, on Thursday January 22 before running the car for the first time at a wet Silverstone later in the day.

The Silver Arrows are hoping to get back to title-contending ways after disappointment in the ground-effect rules era.

The team will also host a season launch event online featuring drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, team boss Toto Wolff and the W17 itself on Monday February 2.

Revealed on January 23 – Ferrari

After the disappointment of their winless 2025 season, Ferrari launched what they hope will proved a much-improved 2026 car – the SF-26 – before immediately giving the challenger its track bow at Fiorano.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc took turns to drive the car at the in-house shakedown in wet conditions, with the SF-26 sporting a revised livery for the new campaign with a glossier paint and more white around the cockpit alongside the team’s famous red.

While all teams’ cars are brand new to meet the sport’s revised regulations, Ferrari have also change their suspension geometry with a push-rod arrangement at the front and rear.

Revealed on January 23 – Alpine

Alpine took to a cruise ship to reveal their look for 2026, the first year of their era as a Mercedes engine customer.

The team, who again field Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto as their driver line-up, finished last in the Constructors’ Championship in 2025 but executive advisor Flavio Briatore said the team “believe we are competitive” having almost-exclusively concentrated on development for 2026 during last year.

The A526 will run in the team’s blue and pink livery of recent seasons.

What launches are still to come?

February 3 – Williams

Williams will unveil what they say will be a “new look” for the team when they launch the livery for their 2026 car, the FW48, on Tuesday 3 February.

The car was due to run in special one-off fan-designed livery before then for the first test in Barcelona but the team have since confirmed they will not be present in Spain due to delays in getting the car ready.

February 8 – Cadillac

When better for F1’s new American team to show off their Formula 1 look for the first time than during the country’s biggest and most-famous sporting event?

The team’s maiden car livery will be shown in a TV advert during the Super Bowl, which this year is being staged at California’s Levi’s Stadium, on Sunday February 8.

February 9 – McLaren

Defending world champions McLaren will reveal their 2026 car livery to the world on Monday February 9, two days before the first public test of pre-season begins in Bahrain.

New world champion Lando Norris will be present at an online event from the Bahrain International Circuit alongside team-mate Oscar Piastri and team chiefs Zak Brown and Andrea Stella, which starts at 3pm UK time.

February 9 – Aston Martin

The eagerly anticipated unveiling of the first Aston Martin car designed by the legendary Adrian Newey will break cover on Monday February 9, the same day as McLaren.

The new AMR26 will also be the first of the team’s cars to be powered by Honda.

What are the new regulations for F1 2026?

The big change in 2026 will be a complete overhaul of the technical regulations that will see major changes to the power unit, chassis and aerodynamic rules. The cars will be very different to say the least.

New car design rules in F1 almost certainly causes a shake-up to the pecking order. Sky Sports F1‘s Martin Brundle has described the new regulations as the “biggest changes ever” in the sport.

The teams have long been working on their 2026 cars because the regulations are scheduled to be in place for five seasons. Being quick from next year will set you up to be competitive for the years to come. Mercedes’ dominance in 2014, for example, lasted until 2016 before they were finally caught by Ferrari and Red Bull.

There will be no more DRS, instead we will “Overtake Mode” where the drivers can use more power on designated straights if they are within one second of another car. We will also see “Active Aero” which means the front and rear wings will be moving before and after corners.

It’s expected the cars will be able to follow each other more closely, so there will be more overtaking opportunities.

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