2026 Pre-Season Testing Dates and Calendar Update Confirmed
Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will test the FW48 in Barcelona and Bahrain
Published
30 JUN 2025
Est. reading time
1 min
Formula 1 and the FIA have officially confirmed the dates for the 2026 Pre-Season Testing schedule, with three test sessions planned ahead of the campaign’s opening round in Australia.
The opening test of the new year will be a private session held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, running from 26-30 January. Teams will then reconvene at the Bahrain International Circuit, which will host back-to-back official tests.
The first of these will take place from 11-13 February, with the final test scheduled for 18-20 February, also in Bahrain. The season itself will begin two weeks later, as the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship gets underway in Melbourne, Australia from 6-8 March.
In addition to the testing announcement, an update has also been made to the 2026 calendar. Following a request from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promoter and government stakeholders, the race in Baku has been moved forward by one day to accommodate a national holiday. The event will now take place on Saturday 26 September, rather than Sunday 27.
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