A Beginner's Guide to F1

With the 2026 F1 season just around the corner, there might be a few of you that are about to watch the season for the first time. It might feel like there's a lot to get your head around when it comes to the sport, but I've broken it down into an everything-you-need-to-know guide to get you prepared.

What is Formula One?

Formula One is the highest tier of single-seater racing under the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). For 2026, the championship will run for 24 race weekends.

There are two trophies that are contested every season: the World Driver's Championship (WDC) and the World Constructor's Championship (WCC). Each individual driver competes for the WDC, and each team then competes for the WCC. The teams will get prize money at the end of the season depending on where they've finished in the constructor's table.

Even though F1 is a team sport, teammates are each other's biggest rivals. And that can lead to some interesting battles on track.

Who competes?

In 2026, there will be 11 teams competing on the grid. Each of those teams are allowed to run two drivers which means there'll be total of 22 drivers competing for a WDC.

There are two new teams that are joining the grid this year. Audi, who have bought out Kick Sauber, and Cadillac, who are coming in as a brand new team.

There's only one rookie joining, Arvid Lindblad, linking up with Racing Bulls for his first season. However, there are some drivers who are only going into their second season (Ollie Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, etc.), whilst some drivers, like Alonso and Hamilton, are now seasoned pros and racing in their 40s.

Where does F1 compete?

F1 is a world championship, so it travels around the world to different circuits throughout the year. Over the 24 races, the sport will be visiting 21 different countries and almost every continent, except for Africa and Antarctica.

There are two different types of circuits that are visited:

Permanent circuits operate year-round and can host other motorsport series.

Street circuits that are constructed specifically for the race. These usually use the city's roads while F1 is there before going back to normal after the sport leaves.

How does a weekend work?

Typically a Formula One weekend will run over three days, from Friday to Sunday. What happens on those days depends on the type of weekend it is, a regular one or a sprint.

On a regular weekend there are two 60-minute practice sessions known as FP1 and FP2. Drivers and teams can test out different setups to optimise performance during these sessions.

On Saturday there's another practice session, FP3, followed by qualifying. Qualifying sets up the starting grid for the race and is 60 minutes long, split into three sessions. In the first session, Q1, all 22 of the drivers will be on track trying to get the fastest lap. After 18 minutes, the slowest seven are knocked out. Q2 runs for 15 minutes, with the slowest five knocked out. Finally, Q3 lasts for 12 minutes and will set the final 10 places on the grid.

On a sprint weekend, the format on Friday and Saturday changes slightly. There's only one practice session on Friday, which makes it extremely important for the drivers and the teams to gather as much data as they can during that session. Sprint qualifying takes place later on the same day. It takes the same format as qualifying but only runs for 45 minutes. The first session on Saturday is the sprint, which is a shortened version of the actual Grand Prix. There are a maximum of 8 points to walk away with. After the sprint, the teams can make some changes so they are ready for qualifying later on.

Sunday brings the main event of the weekend, which is the Grand Prix. All 22 drivers will be battling over the course of the race to end up on the podium and win the race. The top 10 drivers will get points from the race. The winner takes 25 points home with it gradually working down to the person finishing in tenth with one point.

What are the different tyres in F1?

F1's official tyre supplier is Pirelli, who bring six 'slick' compound tyres (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 and C6) as well as a set of 'intermediate' tyres and 'full wet' tyres.

The intermediate and full wet tyres are used when the track is wet; they provide a higher level of grip for the cars and help clear water off the track.

For each race, Pirelli will bring the intermediate and full wet tyres but also pick three slick tyres that are best suited to the track characteristics. C6 is the softest compound that Pirelli offers. This tyre provides a high level of grip straight away for the drivers and gives the drivers the most pace, but it does degrade quickly. The C1 is the hardest compound of tyre; it can take a while to warm up and is slower but will last longer during the race.

Why do people keep talking about the 2026 regulations?

2026 is an extremely exciting time in Formula One as a new set of regulations comes into play. F1 cars and engines have a new set of rules they have to follow that'll change the way the drivers race. With the car design drastically changing, it means that the grid could have a big shake-up, and fans are going into this season unsure which team will have the quickest car. The engine regulations are also changing for the first time since 2014, and there's been a huge overhaul of the rules. The cars are now expected to rely more on electrical energy, and the engines have to be able to handle 100% sustainable fuel. Reliability could cause huge issues for the teams here.