Formula 1 (F1) is the FIA's premier world championship for open-wheel, single-seater racing — widely regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport. First run as a World Championship in 1950, it pits the world's leading drivers and constructors against each other over a season of Grands Prix on circuits around the globe, from street tracks like Monaco to purpose-built venues like Silverstone and Suzuka.
For 2026 the grid expands to eleven teams fielding 22 cars, and two titles are decided each year: the Drivers' Championship and the Constructors' Championship.
How a race weekend works
A typical weekend runs three practice sessions, qualifying, and the race. Qualifying sets the grid over three knockout segments (Q1, Q2, Q3). A handful of weekends each year are Sprint events, which run a single practice session plus a short Sprint race — with its own knockout qualifying — before the usual Qualifying and Grand Prix.
How points are scored
The top ten finishers score 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 points; there is no bonus point for the fastest lap (it was scrapped from 2025). Sprint races pay the top eight 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Whoever holds the most points at season's end is champion.
What changed for 2026
2026 brings the biggest rules reset in over a decade:
- Power units now run on an approximate 50/50 split between the combustion engine and electric power (up from around 20%), with the MGU-H dropped, and on 100% sustainable fuel.
- Active aerodynamics replace DRS: every car can flatten its wings on the straights for less drag, and the passing aid is now Overtake Mode — a burst of extra electric energy for a car running within a second of the one ahead.
- The cars are shorter, narrower and lighter, and the grid welcomes Cadillac as an all-new eleventh team alongside Audi, which takes over the former Sauber entry.
New to the sport? Start with Formula 1 rules explained and the history of Formula 1.