F1 2026: standings, calendar and stakes of the end of the season
Summary
The summer break is over, Formula 1 is back. After twelve rounds, a leader has emerged and the final stretch of the season promises to be intense. Standings, calendar, stakes: here’s everything you need to know about the end of the 2026 F1 season.
Eleven Grands Prix to decide the 2026 title.
Season in brief
- Raced: 12 races, 11 remaining
- Leader: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 242 pts (+59)
- Constructors: Mercedes leading, 425 pts
- Restart: Italian GP, Monza, September 4-6
- Finale: Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina, December 6
First part: Antonelli has pulled away
Twelve races, one boss. Kimi Antonelli approaches the restart with 242 points and a 59-point lead over his closest rivals. At 19, the Mercedes driver has turned his first full season into a showcase.
Behind, the fight is tight. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are tied on points, Lando Norris has revived McLaren with two consecutive wins in Hungary and the Netherlands. Max Verstappen, who retired in Zandvoort, has only 112 points: the new 2026 regulations have reshuffled the deck.
| # | Driver | Team | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 242 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 183 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 183 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 159 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 155 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 112 |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 104 |
Driver standings after the Dutch GP (12 races).
Did you know?
No Italian driver has been crowned world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. An Antonelli title would end a wait of over seventy years.
The calendar: eleven Grands Prix until Abu Dhabi
The second part features eleven rounds over three months. It starts at Monza, includes a brand-new circuit in Madrid, a triple-header in the US, and a night race in Las Vegas, before the finale in Abu Dhabi on December 6.
| # | Grand Prix | Circuit | Dates | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Italy | Monza | Sept 4-6 | Restart |
| 14 | Spain | Madrid | Sept 11-13 | New circuit |
| 15 | Azerbaijan | Baku | Sept 24-26 | Saturday race |
| 16 | Relocated Grand Prix | Sepang (Malaysia) | Oct 2-4 | — |
| 17 | Singapore | Marina Bay | Oct 9-11 | Sprint |
| 18 | United States | Austin | Oct 23-25 | Triple-header |
| 19 | Mexico | Mexico City | Oct 30-Nov 1st | Triple-header |
| 20 | Brazil | Interlagos | Nov 6-8 | Triple-header |
| 21 | Las Vegas | Las Vegas Strip | Nov 19-22 | Night, Saturday |
| 22 | Qatar | Lusail | Nov 27-29 | — |
| 23 | Abu Dhabi | Yas Marina | Dec 4-6 | Finale |
Calendar for the second part of the 2026 season.
New setting: Madrid
The Spanish GP takes place on a brand-new layout in Madrid. A circuit no one has raced on before: no data, no reference, an unknown for all teams from mid-September.
What to expect from the restart?
The first event already sets the tone. At Monza, Kimi Antonelli will start from the back of the grid: Mercedes has confirmed a complete engine change, meaning a penalty. At home, the championship leader starts last.
He won’t be the only one moving back. Lewis Hamilton also receives an engine penalty for Monza. This opens the door for Charles Leclerc, McLaren, and the outsiders on a track where overtaking is possible.
For Red Bull, uncertainty comes from the medical center. Isack Hadjar, injured wrist, missed Zandvoort and aims to return at Monza. Liam Lawson, his replacement, has a lot at stake with every appearance.
Antonelli, Norris, Hamilton: the keys to the money time
Three scenarios are shaping up for the title. Kimi Antonelli holds the cards: with a 59-point lead, he can manage, but will have to handle the pressure over eleven races.
The most concrete threat is Lando Norris. The McLaren driver comes off two wins and a regained pace. Lurking, Russell, Hamilton, and Leclerc will take advantage of any slip by the leader.
The title will be decided in the final stretch: American triple-header, Las Vegas night race, then the finale in Abu Dhabi. Eleven rounds to decide, and a margin that can shrink fast.
ELEVEN RACES, ONE TITLE
Antonelli leads, his rivals push, and the final stretch of the season starts at Monza. Eleven Grands Prix, a triple-header, and a finale in Abu Dhabi: the countdown to the 2026 crown has begun.
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