From the completion of F1’s newest circuit, to calendar expansions, an increased number of Sprint events and ever-growing attendance figures. Here are the Formula 1 calendar stories that could dominate the headlines in 2026.
Will Madrid’s New Circuit Be Ready in Time?
There have been plenty of headlines recently about the status of the new Madring circuit in Madrid, which is set to become host of the Spanish Grand Prix in 2026. Work on the track began in June 2025 but rumours persist that the track may not be ready in time for its September debut.
The new Madrid circuit is due to be completed at the end of May 2026. If work is delayed for any reason, it is feasible that F1 could change plans and host a race at another European venue in mid-September, with enough time to put tickets on sale and put the necessary plans in place.
In the summer, Stefano Domenicali reportedly told Italian media that Imola – host of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from 2020 to 2025, which missed out on a place on the 2026 calendar – is the “first reserve” should any venue be unable to fulfil its commitment in 2026. Whether or not the Italian track will need to fulfil that duty, or whether the rumours have been blown out of proportion, will become clearer in the coming months.
Will New Races Be Announced For 2028?
A somewhat surprising addition to the calendar was announced in December 2025. The Portuguese Grand Prix, last held at the Portimao circuit in the coronavirus-hit 2020 and 2021 seasons, will return as part of a two year deal covering 2027 and 2028.
And it could be the first of multiple new race contracts to be announced in the next twelve months. Most venues are signed up until at least 2028 but there are still a few slots available on that year’s calendar.
Thailand and a race on the African continent look the most likely to join the schedule before the end of the current decade, both mooted to make 2028 debuts. A race somewhere in Africa has been a long-held ambition for Formula 1 bosses, with three African countries believed to have serious interest in bringing the sport to their part of the continent. South Africa – and a return for Kyalami for the first time since 1993 – has been the frontrunner throughout, but further speculation suggests Cape Town is another viable option. Rwanda and Morocco – where F1 last raced in 1958 – are believed to be other potential host countries for the sport’s return to Africa.
Elsewhere, Thailand is also still a likely destination for Formula 1 in the coming years. Stefano Domenicali has had multiple meeting with previous government leaders – though the latest Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is yet to publicly comment on plans to bring the sport to the country. Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok, involved in the design of the potential Thai Grand Prix track, admitted in a recent appearance on The Fast and The Curious podcast that the project is “slightly on pause” due to the change in government.
In recent years, announcements about new races have come long over a year before the event made its inaugural calendar appearance. If it is the case that either Thailand or Africa will be a part of the 2028 calendar, expect to hear official news about it at some point in 2026.
What’s Happening With F1’s Rotational Races?
It has been a year since Formula 1 announced that the Belgian Grand Prix will appear on the calendar on a rotational basis from 2028 onwards – but we’re yet to hear any more about the sport’s plans for rotational rounds to become a part of the calendar.
Perhaps one option, given the recent announcement of Portugal’s addition to the calendar is that the Portuguese Grand Prix will appear on the schedule in the seasons that the Belgian Grand Prix does not (2028 and 2030), and that Portimao’s initial two-year contract is to test the waters in terms of fan interest in attending, given that previous races at the track were held with coronavirus attendance restrictions in place.
Another option could be for Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, home of the Spanish Grand Prix from 1991 to 2025, to take the slot in those two seasons. Recent Spanish media reports suggests that is the case, with the Catalunya track tipped to sign a deal with Formula 1 to continue hosting the Barcelona Grand Prix at the venue in 2028, 2030 and 2032.
With most races signed up to the early part of the next decade and calendar slots limited, it seems unlikely that many more rotational deals will be announced beyond the existing Spa setup.
Which Race Will Take The Vacant 2027 Calendar Slot?
With Portugal rejoining the scene, 23 of the 24 available slots on the 2027 Formula 1 calendar are already filled. There remains a slot available thanks to the departure of Zandvoort, host of the Dutch Grand Prix, which makes its final appearance in 2026.
So, which event takes the final position? The only circuit on the calendar in 2026 without a contract for 2027 is Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. After spending 35 years as home of the Spanish Grand Prix, the track becomes host of the Barcelona Grand Prix in 2026, while the all-new Madring in Madrid takes over as host of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Catalunya’s annual continuation on the calendar seems unlikely, given that Imola missed out on a slot in 2026 as Formula 1 no longer wanted to have two races in the same country, United States aside. The fact that a Portuguese Grand Prix – in Spain’s neighbouring country – has now been added for 2027 makes it even more unlikely that racing in Barcelona will continue annually and a rotational deal for the Barcelona track as mentioned above seems much more feasible.
If not Catalunya, then events that could step in seem few and far between. A circuit with FIA Grade 1 status is required. The most obvious choices would be events that have previously hosted races – the likes of Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia or, more likely, Istanbul Park in Turkey.
Circuit bosses in Istanbul talked up their chances of a permanent return to the calendar over the summer and are understood to be in pole position to take a vacant calendar slot. A five-year deal is believed to be in reach, if organisers make necessary upgrades to the circuit and its infrastructure, which would require financial input from the local government.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that the 2027 calendar will stretch beyond the 23 already-announced races. Which leads us on to our next point…
Will the Number of Sprints Increase in 2027?
F1 is keen to increase the number of Sprint races across a season from six to ten. Support for an expanded Sprint calendar has grown, with competition between venues for the chance to host the Sprint format having heated up.
The idea of expanding the Sprint calendar requires approval from FOM, the FIA and the 11 teams. The teams proved hard to convince when F1 wanted to increase the number of sprint races from three to six in 2022 but later agreed – amid a few format tweaks to the race weekend setup – for 2023.
Could reducing the number of Grands Prix in 2027 to 23 be a way to appease the teams and get them to agree to an increase in the number of Sprint events on the calendar? Time will tell.
Will the Maximum Number of Races Increase to 25?
Talking of an increasing number of Sprint events, the maximum number of Grand Prix weekends per season is currently fixed at 24 – but there is some scope for the figure to be increased to 25, despite concerns from members of the paddock that the current 24 is already on the limit.
Stefano Domenicali said that interest in hosting F1 races was higher than ever and it seems that there are far more than 25 venues interested in appearing on the schedule. As far back as 2022, F1 advertised a job in which one of the roles was to execute the “business strategy of growing the future race calendar to up to 25 races”. Will 2026 be the year that the plans finally get approval – or is it a step too far?
What Next For Las Vegas?
The Las Vegas Grand Prix will make its fourth appearance in 2026 – and it’s fair to say that the event has not exactly become F1’s gold standard event in its first three years on the calendar. The Vegas race has fallen short of the dazzling spectacle it was hyped up to be when it first joined the calendar in 2023. Attendance dropped between the inaugural event and 2024, while no official figure has been announced for 2025; perhaps suggesting that attendance fell further.
Under the radar earlier in 2025, the contract for the race was reportedly extended by two seasons through to 2027 – though no official confirmation came from Formula 1. The Vegas race differs from other events on the calendar, as F1 itself acts as the promoter – hence why there was plenty of visible promotion for the remaining available tickets in the run up to the 2025 race, both online and trackside at other races.
The Las Vegas Strip Circuit is capable of producing entertaining races and the event remains a major commercial draw for Formula 1. However, it remains in the sport’s best interests to better refine the balance between show and substance, while also making the event as accessible as possible to race-going fans. Now entering its fourth season, the novelty of having a race in Vegas has inevitably worn off and the event needs to justify its long-term position on the schedule.
Has F1 Attendance Reached Its Peak?
It seems to be a question that we ask every year – but every year the figures continue to grow. Formula 1’s overall attendance in 2025 was 6.7 million, an increase of 200,000 on the 2024 figure. 19 events sold out, with 11 setting new attendance records.
The big question is whether F1 has reached its attendance ceiling. Circuit capacities – even with various expansions having been carried out – will prevent the overall annual attendance figure from rising much higher, though the new Madring circuit, which essentially replaces Imola, has higher capacity than the Italian track, so that could help the figure grow, if the Madrid event is well-attended.
And an interesting aside is whether or not the British Grand Prix will set an all-time attendance record in 2026. The 2025 Silverstone race weekend had a total 4-day attendance of 500,000 – just 20,000 shy of the all-time record set at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide. With Britain having crowned its newest World Champion – and the grandstand named in his honour having been expanded for 2026 – it’s entirely possible that attendance at the British Grand Prix will be higher in 2026 than 2025.
