The 2026 F1 and F2 seasons get underway this weekend (March 6-8) with the Australian GP at the Albert Park Circuit. For Formula 1, the new rules essentially wipe the slate clean, bringing in new power units, active aerodynamics, more sustainable fuel blends and more.
These sweeping rule changes have also attracted new manufacturers to the grid – Cadillac joins as the 11th team, while Audi has taken over the Sauber team. As for the drivers, there’s only one rookie on the grid, with Arvid Lindblad joining Racing Bulls.
Here is your complete guide on when and where to tune in from India:
F1 Australian GP schedule
All these big changes mean there are plenty of questions about what the new F1 pecking order will look like, and the Australian GP should give us a first concrete idea of that. Racing’s certainly going to be different, with the new power units (with a near 50:50 split between combustion and electric power) increasing the role of the battery. As a result, drivers will need to carefully strike a balance between energy recovery and deployment.
There’s also a new Overtake Mode, which essentially replaces DRS. It unlocks extra electrical power to help with overtaking, but there’s a catch – the driver needs to be within a second of the car ahead at the detection point. With active aerodynamics, the angle of the front and rear wings will change depending on where the cars are on the track.
Race starts will look a bit different as well. With the MGU-H gone, turbo lag becomes more of an issue, and drivers will need more time to get the turbo up to speed. To help with this, the FIA will provide a pre-start warning once the cars have lined up on the grid. This will give the drivers five seconds to build up the revs before the starting light sequence begins.
Last year’s Australian GP saw heavy rainfall. But the weather forecast suggests dry conditions for this year’s race.
F1 Australian GP: Where to watch?
All F1 Australian GP sessions will be streamed live in India on FanCode and the F1 TV app.
F2 Australian GP schedule
The 10th season of the F2 championship also kicks off this weekend. India’s Kush Maini is embarking on his fourth season in F2, this time with a new team – ART Grand Prix. Alongside this, he will also continue his role as the Alpine F1 team’s reserve and test driver and Mahindra Racing’s Formula E reserve driver.
F2 Australian GP: Where to watch?
All F2 Australian GP sessions will be streamed live in India on FanCode and the F1 TV app.
Dinshaw Magol
