You roar down Cliff Avenue, going 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. As you weave in between the cars, you dream about racing. While your career may just be starting, the highest class of racing, Formula 1, has already started. Bound together by strict rules, high speeds and reality-show-like drama, the sport can appeal to all audiences.
At its core, Formula 1 is open-wheel, single-seater car racing, giving fans a thrilling spectacle whenever they tune in. The sport has two season-long competitions, the World Drivers Championship and the World Constructors Championship. These are determined by whichever driver and team win the most points, respectively. Because of these tight championship races, the sport has evolved into big business over the years, with teams earning hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsorships. Formula 1’s mission statement reflects this.
“The mission is clear: to grow and enhance the Formula 1 World Championship as the premier global motorsport and entertainment spectacle, delivering unparalleled excitement for fans, significant value for partners and sustainable returns for stakeholders,” said Formula 1.
This year is no different, with the expansion of teams that will race and holding more races than ever before. The teams in the 2026 season are Alpine, Aston Martin, Williams, Audi, Cadillac, Ferrari, Haas F1 Team, McLaren, Mercedes, Racing Bulls and Red Bull Racing. There are technically two new teams, with the introduction of the Cadillac Formula 1 team and the rebranding of the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber into the Audi F1 Team. The 24 unique races take place in five continents, starting with the Australian Grand Prix and ending with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
What makes Formula 1 special is its rules and regulations. At the start of every season, new regulations are created for car weight, size, power units, etc. All of these rules are put in place to create a technical challenge for teams, resulting in increased competitiveness. This year, the changes are drastic, with cars being overall smaller and lighter. Drag Reduction System, or more commonly known as DRS, is being replaced with a new system called Active Aero, hopefully leading to more stunning and aggressive overtakes. The engines have also been revamped, becoming half electric and half gas. While this change has caused some outrage from fans, the goal is to make the sport more sustainable while offering the same thrills.
With preseason testing over and racing about to begin, Mercedes and Ferrari have emerged as top contenders, with Red Bull Racing and McLaren in contention as well. While Lando Norris of McLaren won the World Drivers Championship last year and McLaren won the World Constructors Championship, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top this year. Tune in to find out!
