Madrid Gears Up For F1 Debut In 2026 As Imola Exits Calendar: All You Need To Know

Formula 1 announced its upcoming roster for the 2026 season on Tuesday, with Madrid all set to make its debut in the coveted championship, even as Imola, or the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, made an exit.

The season will kick off a week earlier than last year, with Melbourne once again hosting the opener and Abu Dhabi, as usual, closing out the championship.

The 2026 season will again feature 24 Grands Prix along with six sprint events, totalling 30 races from March to December, creating a jam-packed calendar brimming with on-track action.

The biggest change is the removal of the Imola Grand Prix, leaving Italy with just one race on the calendar. Spain, on the other hand, adds a second round as Madrid joins Barcelona at different points in the season.

The 2025 Sprint calendar included six weekends at Shanghai (China), Miami (USA), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Austin’s Circuit of the Americas (USA), São Paulo (Brazil) and Lusail (Qatar).

Shanghai and Miami stay on the schedule, while Montreal will host its first-ever Sprint. Silverstone returns to the format after multiple years, Zandvoort joins the Sprint roster for the first time and Singapore’s Marina Bay circuit will also stage a Sprint weekend for the first time.

In 2026, two Grands Prix will take place on Saturdays local time. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku is all set for Saturday, September 26, after a request from the local promoter and government, moving the entire event forward by one day from the usual schedule.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix will also be held on a Saturday, November 21, aligning with its evening night-race format.

Canada will move up the schedule, jumping from the 10th round to the seventh, part of a strategic reshuffle to improve logistics and travel. This places Monaco before the Barcelona race at Montmeló as well, streamlining the European leg of the season.

F1 2026 calendar unveiled: Every GP & Sprint weekend revealed

March 6-8: Australian GP, Melbourne

March 13-15: Chinese GP, Shanghai

March 27-29: Japanese GP, Suzuka

April 10-12: Bahrain GP, Sakhir

April 17-19: Saudi Arabian GP, Jeddah

May 1-3: Miami GP, Miami

May 22-24: Canadian GP, Montreal

June 5-7: Monaco GP, Monaco

June 12-14: Spanish GP, Barcelona

June 26-28: Austrian GP, Spielberg

July 3-5: British GP, Silverstone

July 17-19: Belgian GP, Spa-Francorchamps

July 24-26: Hungarian GP, Budapest

August 21-23: Dutch GP, Zandvoort

September 4-6: Italian GP, Monza

September 11-13: Spanish GP, Madrid

September 25-27: Azerbaijan GP, Baku

October 9-11: Singapore GP, Singapore

October 23-25: United States GP, Austin

October 30-November 1: Mexican GP, Mexico City

November 6-8: Sao Paulo GP, Sao Paulo

November 19-21: Las Vegas GP, Las Vegas

November 27-29: Qatar GP, Lusail

December 4-6: Abu Dhabi GP, Yas Marina