Image: from Cytrus News X@CytrusNews
By Open Chronicle Sports Desk
BARCELONA, Spain — As the 2026 pre-season “shakedown” kicks off at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the official Formula 1 grid for the new era is now fully confirmed. The 2026 season marks a historic turning point with radical technical regulations, the entry of new manufacturers like Audi and Cadillac, and one of the most significant driver market shake-ups in the sport’s history—headlined by Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
That's a wrap on Day 1 in Barcelona! ✅👊#F1 pic.twitter.com/OoSdkEjGKB
— Formula 1 (@F1) January 26, 2026
Below is the official 2026 F1 entry list:
All the number for the 2026 season have been confirmed
List of changes:
🇬🇧 Norris replaces #4 with #1
🇳🇱 Verstappen replaces #1 with #3
🇬🇧 Lindblad will use #41
🇲🇽 Pérez will use #11 (same as 2024)
🇫🇮 Bottas will use #77 (same as 2024) pic.twitter.com/cGnx4pW3aI— Holiness (@F1BigData) December 19, 2025
| Team | Driver 1 | Driver 2 |
| Oracle Red Bull Racing | Max Verstappen | Isack Hadjar |
| Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS | George Russell | Kimi Antonelli |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | Lewis Hamilton |
| McLaren Formula 1 Team | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri |
| Aston Martin Aramco | Fernando Alonso | Lance Stroll |
| Alpine F1 Team | Pierre Gasly | Franco Colapinto |
| Williams Racing | Alexander Albon | Carlos Sainz |
| Audi F1 Team | Nico Hülkenberg | Gabriel Bortoleto |
| Haas F1 Team | Esteban Ocon | Oliver Bearman |
| Racing Bulls (RB) | Liam Lawson | Arvid Lindblad |
| Cadillac F1 Team | Sergio Pérez | Valtteri Bottas |
Key Storylines of the 2026 Grid:
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The Ferrari “Superteam”: After over a decade at Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton officially begins his quest for an eighth world title in the scarlet red of Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc.
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New Manufacturers: The grid expands in prestige as Audi completes its takeover of Sauber, fielding an all-new lineup of veteran Nico Hülkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. Meanwhile, Cadillac makes its long-awaited debut, banking on the experience of Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas.
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The Youth Wave: A record number of rookies and young talents have secured seats for the 2026 era, including Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Arvid Lindblad (RB), and Franco Colapinto (Alpine).
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Sainz at Williams: After losing his Ferrari seat to Hamilton, Carlos Sainz leads the charge for a revitalized Williams team alongside Alex Albon.
The teams are currently in Barcelona for a three-day shakedown, where Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar set the pace on Day 1. The official pre-season testing will move to Bahrain from February 11–13, ahead of the season opener in Australia on March 8.