When Formula 1 returns this weekendfor a new season, the cars will look slimmer, an American auto giant will join the grid and the U.S. audience will be watching on Apple TV rather than ESPN.
The year 2026 is shaping up to be pivotal for F1, with a new generation of cars offering up a moment of truth for the sport's aging legends while creating tantalizing opportunities for veterans eying a trophy and new up-and-comers looking to shine.
Here are seven storylines to watch ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, which begins Saturday night in the U.S.
A rules revolution scrambles the field
It has been called the biggestregulation changein F1 history, scrambling the field and creating intrigue about who will come out ahead. The newer cars are more agile and more reliant on battery power, reshaping how drivers approach racing.
The changes are part of F1's ambitious goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030. They'll upend driving styles and challenge every racer to rethink cornering and braking and when to conserve power and when to deploy it — putting more emphasis on strategy and long game than raw one-lap pace. And "DRS" will be gone.
"It's the nature of Formula 1," F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali told F1 reporters during a recent virtual news conference. "What has to be protected ... is having great racing, great overtaking opportunity, great challenge that you can give to the drivers to show if they are the best."
Domenicali is aware of the criticisms from drivers and the jousting over desired changes, saying the sport will "intervene and react immediately" to update the regulations if the larger goals aren't met. But he voiced confidence that "our 900 million fans" will find plenty to love about the sport's next iteration.
Can Lando Norris defend his title?
If a "shakedown" in Barcelona, Spain, and preseason testing in Bahrain provide any indication, the top four teams remain faster than the rest. Beyond that, there are more questions than answers.
McLaren remains a contender, but it may no longer have the best car, meaning Lando Norris could have a tough timedefending his championship. Teammate Oscar Piastri narrowly lost out last year, and it's unclear that he'll have a better chance now.
Mercedes remains favorites even though it didn't top the timesheets in testing, with George Russell leading the betting odds to capture his first title. Its engine is expected to be the class of the field, and many in the paddock are convinced it has been "sandbagging," or hiding its pace.
Red Bull had a strong test despite having ditched engine partner Honda to build a new power unit with Ford. Four-time champion Max Verstappen sits second in the early betting odds.
Ferrari looks impressive, but early strength has often failed to translate into titles. Could it finally be the Tifosi's year? Charles Leclerc is hungry for his first title, and he hinted last year that the team's competitiveness in the first part of 2026 will shape his decision about whether to stay or leave. Seven-time champ Lewis Hamilton is eager to improve after a miserable 2025.
Further down the order, it's all to play for. The Audi F1 Team debuts this year after having taken over Sauber. Alpine has switched to a Mercedes engine, alongside reigning champions McLaren. Williams and Aston Martin, both of which entered 2026 with high expectations, showed signs of trouble in preseason.
A new American team
It's a huge year for F1 in America on track, with GM-backed Cadillacjoining the grid as the 11th team. Don't expect any sudden heroics or race wins early on — it's aiming to build a foundation and make steady progress rather than take risky bets with the gargantuan task of building from scratch.
Still, Cadillac F1 has impressed rivals by building a car that went faster than Aston Martin and ran over 200 laps more than the British team in testing, indicating a reliable platform to build on.
With carsbuilt by Andretti Globaland TWG Motorsports, it has tapped race-winning veteransSergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for this year, prioritizing experience over youth at the outset. Waiting in the wings is Cadillac F1 test-driver Colton Herta, the former IndyCar racer, who will race in Formula 2 this year.
American fans will see a GM-versus-Ford rivalry on track for the first time ever, as the latter makes a comeback to F1 with Red Bull after two decades away from the sport. (In a sense, they'll also see aFord vs. Ferrarifight.)
This year Cadillac will be powered by a Ferrari engine, much like the other U.S.-based team, Haas.
A pivotal year for three F1 champions
The new cars will set the trajectory of F1 for the next five years, through 2030, shaping the futures of three of the biggest stars.
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Verstappen has been stoking speculation about a potential exit from F1, criticizing the new cars, musing wistfully about a life untethered from the sport's grueling schedule andinsisting he'll leaveif he's no longer having fun.
Teams rise and fall during a regulation set, but the squad that gets it right at the outset tends to hold a huge advantage. That carries significant implications for two decorated elder millennials.
Hamilton is still searching for the record-breaking eighth championship that has eluded him for five years. He's 41, and this year could determine whether he'll stick around or call it quits.
And 44-year-old Fernando Alonso, a double world champion now at Aston Martin, is all but defying the laws of aging to continue operating at this level. But his quest for a competitive car to return to race-winning ways — he hasn't won a Grand Prix since 2013 — can't go on forever. If Aston Martin's early troubles persist, it could affect his decision about whether to stay or go.
Younger drivers rise
Last season featured a breakout cast of rookies who now have a chance to take things to the next level.
Kimi Antonelli, who debuted with Mercedes last year at age 18, showed flashes of brilliance — and inconsistency — last season. If Mercedes is as strong as expected this year, he'll have the chance to fight for Grand Prix victories, and maybe more.
Isack Hadjar, who scored an extraordinary podium with Racing Bulls last year, has been promoted to the senior Red Bull team. Will he succumb to the curse that has felled every one of Verstappen's teammates for years? Or will he break it?
Ollie Bearman of Haas outshined his more experienced teammate Esteban Ocon in 2025, and if he continues to impress, it'll put him closer to his dream Ferrari seat. Former F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, now with Audi, is another one to watch.
The only rookie on the grid this year is Arvid Lindblad, who will replace Yuki Tsuonda at Racing Bulls. His teammate will be Liam Lawson, who, like other drivers, faces a key year to prove his value in the sport after having jumped in and out of seats since 2023.
Global and intra-team turmoil
The military attacks the U.S. and Israel launched recently against Iran have sparked Iranian retaliation and created turmoil in the region, casting a cloud over upcoming races scheduled in Bahrain on April 12 and in Saudi Arabia on April 19.
It's a fluid situation. But for now, Formula 1 officials say they're not worried and expect to carry out each of the race weekends.
"Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan, not in the Middle East — those races are not for a number of weeks," a spokesperson for F1 said. "As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities."
And inside the paddock, Aston Martin's preseason woes have left rivals wondering whether it will be operating at full strength in the opening race — from scant mileage in testing to reliability problems and engine issuesconfirmed by its new owner, Honda. The team is said to be working on solutions and plans to go to Melbourne to execute, and the early practice sessions Friday could determine whether it'll be a normal weekend.
A new experience for U.S. fans
The ESPN/ABC era of Formula 1 is over. Americans will now watch the races on Apple TV for the next five yearsunder a deal by the two parties signed last year.
Fans can download the Apple TV app on their phones or smart TVs and watch all the sessions for a subscription costing $12.99 per month, with the option of a seven-day free trial, or $99 per year.
NBC News got an early preview of the experience from Apple.
All the races and sessions will be available in 4K Dolby Vision with immersive 5.1 surround sound. There's a "multi-view" option allowing viewers to simultaneously watch the main broadcast and up to three onboard cameras at once.
Viewers will have the option to choose between the F1 TV commentators, led by Alex Jacques, or the Sky Sports broadcasters, helmed by David Croft and Martin Brundle. (The former will be the default setting as Apple is linking up with F1 TV to give subscribers the same features on its platform.)
Apple has partnered with Netflix to stream the newly released Season 8 of "Drive to Survive" on both platforms. In addition, Netflix will also broadcast the Canadian Grand Prix.
