Formula 1’s most transformative regulatory overhaul in decades is arriving in 2026, and the global stage on which teams are choosing to reveal their next-generation machinery reflects the scale of the moment. What was once a tight cluster of factory unveilings has evolved into a worldwide launch season, stretching from the cultural heart of American automotive history to Europe’s tech hubs and digital platforms. Each team is unveiling not just a car or a livery, but a statement of identity, ambition, and alignment with the new era.
Below is the full journey of the 2026 launch season, how each team is choosing to introduce itself to the world in a year defined by reinvention.
Detroit: Red Bull, Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, and the Arrival of Red Bull Ford Powertrains
The first major event of the 2026 build-up takes place in Detroit, Michigan, where Oracle Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls will jointly launch their campaigns at the home of Ford. On January 15, both teams will reveal their liveries for the new generation of cars while also presenting Red Bull Ford Powertrains ahead of its debut as a power unit manufacturer.
Detroit is more than a backdrop, it is a statement of heritage and partnership. By launching in Ford’s historic stronghold, Red Bull marks the arrival of the first ever Red Bull Ford Powertrains unit, a collaboration that symbolizes a new chapter for the team. It is a project driven by the same spirit that defined Red Bull’s entrance into Formula 1 21 years ago: defying convention and building from first principles. The joint launch sets the tone for a season in which the Ford partnership becomes central to both teams’ competitive identity.
Berlin: Audi Revolut F1 Team Enters the Arena
Just five days later, the spotlight shifts to Berlin, where the Audi Revolut F1 Team will hold its global launch on January 20, 2026. The announcement of the team’s official name and logo marks a decisive step toward its first season on the grid.
This launch is designed as an immersive experience that reveals the team’s identity for the first time—an identity shaped equally by Audi’s engineering philosophy and Revolut’s global fintech presence. Their partnership, confirmed in July 2025, forms a foundational element of the team’s strategy, extending well beyond branding into digital engagement, operational finance, and streamlined commerce.
After the exclusive unveiling on January 20, Audi Revolut will open the doors to fans on January 21, ensuring their entry resonates beyond the paddock. Central to the event is the reveal of the full 2026 race livery, following the Audi R26 Concept preview from November. With fewer than 50 days before the opening race, Berlin becomes the stage where Audi articulates how its design language will translate into its debut Formula 1 season.
As part of the transition, Sauber Motorsport AG will become Audi Motorsport AG, with the Bicester Technology Centre rebranded as Audi Motorsport Technology Centre UK, while Sauber Holding AG and Sauber Technologies AG preserve their legacy names.
Barcelona: Alpine Confronts a Turning Point
Farther south, Barcelona hosts one of the most symbolically charged launches of the season. On January 23, BWT Alpine Formula One Team will unveil the A526, a car that marks the end of one era and the beginning of another.
The 2025 season concluded with Alpine in last place, a harsh verdict for a team whose car struggled throughout the year. But the more profound shift is mechanical and cultural: for the first time in nearly fifty years, an Enstone-built Formula 1 car will not carry a Renault power unit. With Renault ending its engine program in 2024 without fanfare, Alpine now moves forward with a Mercedes-HPP engine, placing full accountability on Enstone’s execution.
The A526 launch in Barcelona will be stripped back, focused on substance over spectacle. Every component of the car, its chassis design, cooling architecture, weight distribution, and integration of the new hybrid philosophy, reflects the demands of the 2026 rulebook. With aerodynamics now involving active components synchronized with electric deployment, the launch marks the beginning of Alpine’s attempt to rebuild through precision and discipline.
Online → Barcelona: Haas Blends Digital Reveal with Private Testing
While some teams choose major cities or cultural landmarks, Haas takes a digital-first approach. The team will unveil its 2026 livery online on January 23, before heading to Barcelona for private testing beginning January 26.
Their approach reflects a streamlined strategy: reveal to the world, then immediately shift to operational execution. By the time they arrive in Spain, the livery will already be public, allowing Barcelona to serve not as a stage, but as a testbed.
Las Vegas to the Super Bowl: Cadillac Targets America’s Biggest Screen
On February 8, during coverage of the Super Bowl, the world will see the identity of Formula 1’s newest entrant: the first livery of the Cadillac F1 Team. Rather than a conventional motorsport unveiling, Cadillac is leveraging one of America’s most watched television broadcasts, underlining its intent to bridge F1 with broader cultural and entertainment ecosystems.
Backed by General Motors and led by former Marussia Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac becomes the sport’s 11th team in 2026. Their driver lineup, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, with Colton Herta in a testing role, gives the project immediate competitive credibility. The decision to reveal their colors during the NFL’s championship game signals a launch strategy built around visibility, impact, and a distinctly American signature.
Silverstone: Aston Martin Prepares for the New Era
Rounding out the early launch season, Aston Martin has confirmed that it will reveal the AMR26 on February 9. The announcement came days before the 2025 finale in Abu Dhabi, accompanied by a teaser image showing the car’s name sketched as though in pencil.
The reveal follows a major internal milestone: Adrian Newey will become Team Principal in 2026, after joining as Managing Technical Partner earlier in 2025. The continuity of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, entering their fourth season as teammates, provides a stable foundation as Aston Martin prepares for the arrival of the new regulations.
Their 2026 launch underscores both transformation and consistency, a pairing that defines many of the teams entering F1’s new era.
A Worldwide Unveiling for a Worldwide Reset
The 2026 regulations demand reinvention, and the teams’ launch strategies reflect that ambition. Detroit, Berlin, and Barcelona anchor a season of reveals that span industries and audiences, motorsport heritage, financial technology, American culture, digital-first engagement, and traditional testing grounds.
No longer confined to factories or studios, Formula 1’s launch season now unfolds across global cultural hubs, capturing the scale of change coming to the grid. As the new era approaches, each reveal tells a story not only of a car, but of how every team sees its place in the future of the sport.