The 2026 Formula season begins on Friday 6 March with the first two practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix. This year marks one of the biggest regulation changes in the series for years, as the ground effect cars introduced in 2022 have been replaced with smaller, lighter machines designed to improve on-track action.

Ferrari enjoyed a 1-2 in the opening practice session of 2026 in Melbourne, before Oscar Piastri took his McLaren top in the afternoon.

As crowds filtered into Melbourne's Albert Park on Friday for Formula 1’s first day of practice at its 2026 season opener, there were questions. The first, and most pressing, at the milestone 40th Australian Grand Prix was the potential postponement or cancellation of upcoming F1 races in the Middle East on April 12 and 19 in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The Australian Grand Prix is all set to begin on March 6 and will conclude on March 8 with the final race. The F1 drivers will race under the new F1 regulations, which is enough indication of the number of surprises expected this season.

Mercedes pace caught Charles Leclercs eye despite McLarens Oscar Piastri finishing the first Friday of the new F1 season fastest; watch Australian Grand Prix qualifying at 5am on Saturday and the firs

Apple has become Formula 1's new U.S. broadcast partner on Apple TV, and it hopes its hit F1 movie turns casual viewers into race fans.

F1's new cars failed to deliver on a painful debut as Lando Norris and Co. raged at the driving experience - ESPN's Nate Saunders makes sense of the situation.