2026 season
The new year has officially begun, which means it’s time to fully shift our focus to the upcoming Formula 1 season. While the first race may still seem far away, there’s already plenty happening in the world of F1 this month. So grab your calendar, because we’ve listed everything you need to keep an eye on right here.
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
New Teams, New Colours, New Season
The first item on the agenda is the livery launches. Teams unveil their new colour schemes for the upcoming season, either at their factories or at special locations around the world. Some teams tend to stick closely to their traditional look. Red Bull, for example, rarely makes major changes, while others may surprise us with a completely new design.
But what does a livery launch actually involve? In most cases, teams reveal only the livery, not the actual car the drivers will race in. This prevents competitors from closely analysing new technical details and copying ideas before the season even begins. As a result, teams often use last year’s car or a generic show car for the presentation. The focus is therefore purely on the colour scheme and sponsors.
Some teams turn their launch into a full-scale show, while others keep things simple and just reveal the livery. Most launches can be followed live, be sure to check RacingMediaGirls for live updates.
And there’s even more to look forward to this year. Formula 1 will welcome a brand-new 11th team to the grid, meaning we’ll also see an entirely new livery making its debut. On top of that, Sauber begins its transformation into Audi, signalling the end of the familiar green cars we’ve seen in recent seasons. A fresh identity, new colours and a new era, all of which make this year’s livery launches even more exciting to watch.
Complete Overview of F1 2026 Car Launch Dates and Locations
| Red Bull Racing | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Red Bull Racing | January 15th | Detroit |
| Racing Bulls | January 15th | Detroit |
| Audi | January 20th | Berlin |
| Mercedes | January 22th | Fiorano |
| Alpine | January 23th | Barcelona |
| Haas | January 19th (update: Haas has moved the launch) | Online |
| Ferrari | January 23th | Fiorano |
| Williams | February 3th | TBC |
| Cadillec | February 8th | Super Bowl |
| Aston Martin | February 9th | Saudi Arabia |
| Mclaren | TBC | TBC |
Red Bull Racing
January 15th
The team, or rather, the teams, set to kick off the 2026 Formula 1 car launch season are part of the Red Bull family. Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls will unveil their new liveries together, on the same day and at the same location. The joint launch will take place in Detroit.
So, what can we expect? Red Bull Racing has been running a very similar livery for years, featuring the instantly recognisable dark blue base and iconic branding. As a result, expectations are that the team will once again make only minor changes to its design for the 2026 season. However, with a new season, new regulations and a new team principal, there’s always a chance Red Bull could surprise us.
One thing that will definitely change is Max Verstappen’s race number. As he is no longer the reigning world champion, Verstappen will have to give up the number 1 and will instead return to car number 3, the former race number of his ex-teammate Daniel Ricciardo.
Racing Bulls
January 15th
Racing Bulls, on the other hand, has gone through numerous name changes, rebrands and therefore a wide variety of liveries over the years. Last season, the team delivered one of the biggest surprises with a completely new livery, a striking all-white design with stunning details that quickly became a fan favourite and, for many, the best livery of the season.
The big question now is whether Racing Bulls will surprise us once again with a completely new design, or stick with last year’s highly popular livery. We won’t have to wait long to find out, the answer will be revealed on January 15.
One major change we will definitely see at the team is a new driver. Racing Bulls will be the only team on the grid with a rookie driver this season. Arvid Lindblad is set to make his Formula 1 debut and, like the other Red Bull–affiliated drivers, will most likely be present at the livery launch.
Audi
January 20th
Then, on January 20, it’s time for a completely new car launch! The well-known Sauber team is undergoing a full rebrand and will now race as Audi. Over the past year, Audi has already shared a few previews, hinting that the new car will likely feature a red, black, and grey livery.
However, the full design, including sponsor logos and the complete colour scheme will only be revealed during the official launch in Berlin. Fans won’t want to miss this first look at Audi’s fresh identity on the F1 grid.
Mercedes
January 22th
On the 22nd, Mercedes will reveal its new livery. This is an interesting one, as Mercedes has raced in a silver livery for many years, occasionally alternating it with a black livery. What they will choose this year remains to be seen, so be sure not to miss Mercedes’ new livery, which will be unveiled on January 22!
Ferrari
January 23th
Just like Red Bull, Ferrari hasn’t changed much over the years. An iconic brand like Ferrari simply can’t switch to a green livery, Ferrari means red. That said, the exact shade of red does sometimes change; a few years ago we even saw a much lighter red than the one used today.
Ferrari is also all about the details. So even if the overall design doesn’t change dramatically, the launch is still worth watching. It’s a passionate team with the support of an entire nation, which is why Ferrari often holds its launch on home soil, surrounded by enthusiastic Italian fans.
Alpine
January 23th
January 23 is a popular date, with three teams planning their launches and one of them is Alpine! Over the years, Alpine has experimented with different liveries, often running both a blue and a pink design throughout the season. They usually pick special races to race in their pink livery, which fans often love.
For this year’s launch, anything could happen. Alpine might reveal a completely new design, or they could stick with something simple. Either way, it’s definitely a team to keep an eye on, their launch is always an exciting moment for F1 fans.
Haas
update: Haas has moved the launch to January 19
January 23th
The third team set to reveal their livery on January 23 is Haas! The team is known for its signature white, black, and red colours, but how they will interpret them this year remains a surprise.
One thing is certain: Haas is excellent at designing special liveries throughout the season, so the creative talent is definitely there. Another big change this year is a new title sponsor: Toyota Gazoo Racing, which could potentially lead to a completely new look for the team’s car.
Williams
February 3th
Williams will unveil its livery on February 3. Over the years, we’ve seen quite a lot of different liveries from the team. Williams has been focusing on the 2026 season for a long time now, and expectations are therefore high. With all these changes, will they opt for a brand-new livery, or will we see the same one as last year? We’ll find out on February 3!
Cadillec
Aston Martin
February 8th
And finally, it’s time for perhaps the most exciting livery launch of the year, that of a completely new team. There’s been a lot of speculation, but it’s now official: Formula 1 will welcome an 11th team to the grid.
The honor goes to Cadillac, who will join the existing 10 teams and they won’t go unnoticed. Their livery launch will take place at the Super Bowl, which is as spectacular as it sounds!
As for the car itself, Cadillac has revealed very few details, keeping fans in suspense. This makes it arguably the most anticipated livery launch of the 2026 season, and one that F1 fans absolutely cannot miss.
February 9th
On February 9, it’s time for Aston Martin and their 2026 livery launch! Aston Martin usually doesn’t make major changes to their livery, their iconic green colour returns year after year.
While the car’s colour may not see much change, the car itself will undergo significant updates, just like all the other teams. With former Red Bull top man Adrian Newey now at the helm of Aston Martin, expectations are high for the British team in 2026.
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