AUTOSPORT

The UK’s ‘must-read’ motorsport magazine AUTOSPORT is revered by fans and industry personnel alike as the ultimate source of motorsport news and analysis. The magazine’s expert editorial covers all aspects of the sport, from major international series such as Formula 1, Sports Car racing and the World Rally Championship, to the less glamorous but hugely important grassroots events in UK club motorsport.

New rules finally get real for F1 2026

True potential yet to emerge

Aston starts ‘on the back foot’

Russell delivers on time

Verstappen slates new F1 cars • Four-time champion makes unflattering comparison with Formula E, which invites him to attend a race weekend

Red Bull could play key role on engine row

INSIDER • Is electric power in F1 really that bad, asks Stuart Codling

INSIDER • F1 could learn from an old F2 story, says Jake Boxall-Legge

INSIDER • Pat Symonds unpacks some nice surprises from the F1 2026 cars

All the cars • F1’s new era really got going in pre-season testing in Bahrain, with 11 cars hitting the track before the Australian opener…

The first signs of the 2026 pecking order • Mercedes appeared to have an edge in Bahrain testing, but McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull don’t look far behind…

The tech battlegrounds of F1’s new age • A new ruleset means fresh scope for innovation and opportunities for engineers to steal a march on their rivals

Flying solo • There’s only one rookie on the F1 grid this season – but he’s carrying the hopes of Red Bull

What exactly is going on at Aston Martin? • Aston Martin admitted after the opening days of pre-season testing in Bahrain that it is trailing most of its F1 rivals. But what is causing this, and how long might a potential turnaround take?

Team by team • Autosport runs the rule over the teams and drivers of F1 2026

McLAREN CAR MCL40 ENGINE MERCEDES-AMG F1 M17 • Can the world championship-winning squad carry the momentum it’s built into a new F1 era? And will it ensure its drivers’ equal-opportunities policy runs smoothly?

MERCEDES CAR W17 ENGINE MERCEDES-AMG F1 M17 • Well-prepared and playing its cards close to its chest, Mercedes has the opportunity to re-establish dominant status in F1 after the missteps of the ground-effect era

RED BULL CAR RB22 ENGINE RED BULL FORD DM01 • With top-level turmoil now fading in the rear-view mirror, chief focus is on how a post-Newey car design and fresh power-unit alliance will perform

FERRARI CAR SF-26 ENGINE FERRARI 067/6 • Can the increasingly frustrated dreams of last season be banished by a new car that’s already shown promise of a return to winning ways?

WILLIAMS CAR FW48 ENGINE MERCEDES-AMG F1 M17 • Missing Barcelona’s ‘shakedown’ recalls previous pre-season new-car difficulties, although that hasn’t stopped ambitions for 2026 remaining undimmed

RACING BULLS CAR VCARB 03 ENGINE RED BULL FORD DM01 • The Red Bull junior team continues to fulfil its somewhat curious purpose in its big brother’s shadow as it takes on a fresh talent with great expectations

ASTON MARTIN CAR AMR26 ENGINE HONDA RA626H • While Aston Martin’s revolving door maintains its momentum, the fruits of employing F1’s greatest technical mind are awaited

HAAS CAR VF-26 ENGINE FERRARI 067/6 • The growth of the team’s technical and investment partnership with Toyota will bring mutual benefits, even if the end game (if there is one) isn’t obvious

AUDI CAR R26 ENGINE AUDI AFR 26 HYBRID • Audi’s ownership of the Sauber operation will hopefully last longer than BMW’s. After some false starts, some F1 heavy hitters are now on board at the helm

ALPINE CAR A526 ENGINE MERCEDES-AMG F1 M17 • The Anglo-French squad dropped to the...