F1 launches: dates, 2026 car schedule, livery, pre-season team reveal with new regulations | F1 News

Formula 1 is set to usher in a new era of heavily modified cars and engines in 2026, making the ‘launch season’ one of the most anticipated in years.

With pre-season testing starting at the end of January, initially behind closed doors in Barcelona, ​​teams will begin showing their 2026 looks several weeks earlier than in previous years as they ramp up preparations for the 24-race campaign starting in March.

Keep up to date with the latest livery and full car reveal dates, as confirmed below.

January 15 – Red Bull and Racing Bulls livery revealed

Both Red Bull teams will launch their new engine era at partner Ford’s Detroit headquarters by unveiling their respective liveries for 2026.

The colors of Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls will be revealed on Thursday, January 15 as part of Ford’s season kickoff event for their racing entities at the converted Michigan Central Station.

January 23 – Alpine

Alpine promised “we have something to show you” on Friday January 23, three days before the start of the first pre-season tests at private doors in Barcelona.

The team is aiming for a big step forward in F1’s new era, having slipped to bottom of the constructors’ standings in 2025 amid an early shift in focus towards 2026, with Alpine also swapping its own factory Renault engines for a customer supply of a Mercedes powerplant that is expected to be powerful.

January 23 – Haas livery unveiling

Like Alpine, Haas chose the Friday before the first test to hold a launch when the livery of its 2026 car, the VF-26, will be revealed online.

February 8 – Presentation of the Cadillac livery

What better time for America’s new F1 team to show off its Formula 1 look for the first time than at the country’s biggest and most famous sporting event?

The team’s first livery will be featured in a television commercial during the Super Bowl, which this year will take place at Levi’s Stadium in California on Sunday, February 8.

February 9 – Presentation of the Aston Martin car

The highly anticipated reveal of the first Aston Martin car designed by the legendary Adrian Newey will be revealed on Monday February 9.

The AMR26, which will run on Honda engines, will be presented two days before the start of the first public pre-season tests in Bahrain.

Dates to be confirmed:
McLaren
Mercedes
Ferrari
Williams
Audi

What are the new regulations for F1 2026?

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

New car design rules in F1 will almost certainly cause an upheaval in the hierarchy. Sky Sports F1Martin Brundle of , described the new regulations as the “biggest changes ever” in the sport.

Teams have been working on their 2026 cars for a long time as the regulations are planned for five seasons. Being fast next year will allow you to be competitive for years to come. Mercedes’ dominance in 2014, for example, lasted until 2016 before finally being overtaken by Ferrari and Red Bull.

There will no longer be DRS, but moving wings and it is expected that the cars will be able to follow each other more closely, so there will be more overtaking.

Watch all 24 race weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime