The Colapinto calendar, in a year with technical changes

Formula 1 has set the calendar for the 2026 season, which will include a total of 24 Grands Prix and mark the beginning of a new era for the category.

The championship begins on March 6 in Australia and ends on December 4 in Abu Dhabi, amid sweeping technical changes that also raise expectations about Franco Colapinto’s future in the paddock.

The extensive program includes six weekends in sprint format and presents, as the most important novelty, the Madrid Grand Prix, which will be held from September 11th to 13th.

In addition, the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been postponed to April due to the Ramadan celebration. In Europe, the activity will begin in Monaco in early June and end in the Spanish capital.

For Colapinto, 2026 appears to be a crucial year. The regulatory change, which introduces new cars, engines and 100% sustainable fuels, represents a new beginning for all teams and drivers. In this scenario, the Argentine will look to consolidate and exploit a context that has historically tended to open up opportunities, especially for those trying to establish themselves in this category.

The pre-season will also have an unprecedented format, with three blocks of official tests. The first will be a private shakedown in Barcelona from January 26th to 30th, while the two finals will take place in Bahrain from February 11th to 13th and February 18th to 20th, already with broadcast and greater publicity.

It will be a crucial time to get used to the new cars before the start of the championship.

From the organization, Stefano Domenicali emphasized that 2026 will mark “a new era” for Formula 1, with the introduction of new brands such as Audi, Cadillac and Ford. Against this background of total renewal, the season not only promises structural changes, but can also be decisive for drivers like Colapinto, who face the challenge of securing a stable place in the highest category of world motorsport.