The 2026 Formula 1 season revolves around a new generation on the grid: Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) leads the World Championship after the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton as his closest challengers. This year's calendar counts 22 Grand Prix races, from the season opener in Australia to the finale in Abu Dhabi on 4 to 6 December, with Madrid as the standout newcomer. This hub brings together the current standings, the full calendar, the circuits still to come, this season's drivers and teams, and an explanation of betting on Formula 1, and links through to the napoleonsports.be pages where you can view the current betting offer.
What is the Formula 1 World Championship?
The Formula 1 World Championship is the pinnacle of motorsport: 22 Grand Prix races across five continents, contested by 11 teams with two drivers each. In each race the first ten drivers to finish earn points, supplemented by six sprint weekends that add an extra points session on Saturday. Whoever has collected the most points after the season's final race becomes world champion; the same principle applies to the constructors' title, where the points of both a team's drivers are added together.
For the full grid of drivers and teams: check out the drivers and teams wiki. For the points system in detail: check out the standings wiki.
Championship standings & title fight
After the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, round 12 of 22, Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) leads with 242 points. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton follow on equal points (183), with Russell taking second place thanks to more wins. Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc complete the top five, and Max Verstappen is sixth with 112 points, still without a win this season but with a podium finish at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps. Among the constructors, Mercedes leads comfortably ahead of Ferrari and McLaren.
Last season (2025) Lando Norris became world champion with McLaren, with 423 points against 421 for Max Verstappen, a difference of just two points.
For the full, current standings with all drivers and constructors: check out the standings wiki.
Calendar & upcoming races
The 2026 season counts 22 races instead of the originally announced 24: the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix races have been cancelled due to the war in the Middle East. Madrid is the big newcomer, with a brand new street circuit that takes over from Imola.
Both the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps (17-19 July) and the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort (21-23 August, also the final ever F1 race at that circuit) have already been held. The next race on the calendar is the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, scheduled for 4-6 September. For the full calendar, race by race: check out the calendar wiki.
Circuits to watch
After Zandvoort, six main circuits remain, each with a very different character: the blisteringly fast Monza in Italy, the brand new street circuit in Madrid, the combination of city and top speed at the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan, the tough night race at Marina Bay in Singapore, the elevation changes of the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, and the altitude of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. After that come Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
For the technical details of each circuit and a neutral betting angle per race: check out the Grand Prix guide.
Drivers & teams
The 2026 F1 grid counts 11 teams and 22 drivers. Cadillac has joined as the eleventh team, with Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel, and Sauber races this season under the name Audi F1 Team with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. At Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen forms a pairing this season with Isack Hadjar, who moved over from sister team Racing Bulls.
For the full grid, team by team: check out the drivers and teams wiki. Curious about the Belgian connection in the sport? Check out our page on betting on Max Verstappen.
Betting on Formula 1
Around every Grand Prix there is a wide range of betting markets: from the race winner and a podium finish to the qualifying winner, head-to-head markets between two drivers, and outright bets on the drivers' or constructors' championship for the entire season. During a race weekend you can also bet live, as positions change on track.
View the Formula 1 betting offer
The Napoleon Sports app
With the Napoleon Sports app you follow Formula 1 on the go: championship standings, calendar and the betting offer on your smartphone. Available features and markets may vary by device or version.
