F1’s expanding calendar: Will 2026 be the most challenging season yet?

As the sport surges into an era of global expansion, the FIA has once again allocated 24 races for the upcoming season. Formula One’s relentless drive to conquer new territories has pushed its calendar into something once deemed impossible. 

But as the 2026 season looms large against the backdrop of a fantastic 2025 season finale, the same question arises, but with a twist. It’s no longer about whether the limits will be tested, but what will break first: the people (both drivers and mechanics) or the very infrastructure of the billion-dollar sport?

The human toll

For decades, the F1 season was a refined, 16- to 17-race affair, making for a challenging but manageable tour of some of the world’s finest circuits.

Now, with an influx of commercial revenue from sponsorship deals and an ever-increasing consumer base, the spectacle has ballooned, currently settling on a staggering 24 Grands Prix, spanning five continents and demanding absolute dedication for nine months of the year.

However, it’s the human cost that has become the most damning indictment of F1’s recent growth strategy. As one of the most successful active drivers on the grid, Max Verstappen has been outspoken, drawing a clear line in the sand.

“Way over the limit,” stated the four-time world champion in a press interview during the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. “But, if people in the sport start shortening their careers because it’s too much, I think that’s a shame, and so hopefully of course we can have a look at that for the future. I won’t be racing in Formula One for another 10 years doing 24 races per season.”

Many may lash out at the Dutchman for making such a statement, given the luxurious lives these F1 drivers live. However, the terrifying prospect of burnout for the thousands of personnel — engineers, mechanics, non-technical staff, and the like — whose commitment far outstrips that of the drivers, also warrants being taken into account.

While an F1 driver has the luxury of spending his time on the simulator during a brief home break, the engineers, mechanics, technicians, and catering staff do not, and brace for the next wave of jet lag and nightmarish logistics.

Next year, by the time the F1 circus concludes its final leg, most of the operating crew will have spent close to 300 days either travelling, in a hotel, or working at the circuit. The inevitable consequence is a rise in mistakes — in the pit lane, on the pit wall, and, potentially, on the track. The margin for error is already non-existent, and the window for fatigue-induced failure is only getting wider by the day.

A logistical nightmare 

The sheer volume of the expanded calendar places an equally damning stress on the teams’ technical and operational infrastructure.

The 2026 season will introduce a fundamentally new regulatory framework, mandating drastic changes to car design, especially the power unit and aerodynamics. Teams will be undertaking a massive design revolution while simultaneously servicing a 24-race schedule. This means development cycles will be compressed into a feverish, year-long sprint. New upgrades and components, which normally have a measured testing period, will be rushed from the factory floor to the trackside garage, as every single point and upgrade will prove crucial in the first year of the new set of regulations.  

Moreover, looking at the logistics alone, a 24-race season will require thousands of tonnes of freight — cars, spares, tools, hospitality equipment — to be shipped across the globe, often with only days between events. The relentless geographical scatter of the new expanded schedule will make for even more of a logistical and, more importantly, environmental nightmare. The complexity multiplies exponentially when considering the new cars, which will require specialised tools, spare parts, and software, all needing flawless transport and setup every single weekend.

Thus, this new season won’t just be a challenge of becoming the fastest; it will be a brutal test of logistics, supply chain management, and financial compliance within the stringent confines of the cost cap. 

The physical and mental demands on drivers

Throughout its long history, the human element of any sport has often been overlooked in its constant drive for success, but in Formula 1 the drivers themselves are now notable vocal critics of the relentless pace.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso, who made his F1 debut almost a quarter-century ago, has also echoed Max Verstappen’s thoughts.

“When I started we had 16 races, then it was 18 at some point, and then I think when Liberty [Media] came it was like a message that we have 20 one season and that was absolutely the limit, 20 races,” the Aston Martin driver said in Bahrain last year. “And now we are up to 24 and this is not sustainable for the future.”

The preparation period for a Formula One driver is year-round now and intensely demanding. They are required to maintain optimal physical fitness throughout the season, endure punishing travel schedules, and still perform at the highest possible cognitive level under intense G-forces every time they enter the race car. As a result, the mental capacity required to analyse data, engage with engineers, and focus for two hours at 200 mph simply diminishes with constant exhaustion.

The 2026 car, for that matter, will demand even more from them, forcing them to adapt to new aerodynamic characteristics and revised power delivery systems on the fly.

Adapt or perish 

The ever-expanding calendar of Formula One is largely driven by astronomical commercial interest and a consumer base that keeps demanding more. However, the 2026 season also represents a crossroads, where the sport must choose between financial gains and steady, long-term growth. 

The FIA is already under intense scrutiny to adopt a more regionalised calendar and group races geographically to mitigate the logistical and physical strain of extreme time zone changes. 

It is more essential now than ever to find a common middle ground, a necessary compromise to stave off total collapse. The teams, for that matter, have already adopted crew rotation policies, ensuring there is no potential burnout, even if it means missing a few races. 

Ultimately, the 2026 season will be more than just a test of resilience. The reset in regulations will offer a shot at glory, but the requirements of new regulations, inventory demand, and the gruelling 24-race calendar may deliver a crushing blow of its own. Thus, the champion next year won’t just be the best driver or the best car; it will be the team — and the people.