Formula 1 2026 season with Monaco, Barcelona, ​​Austrian and British Grands Prix over next five weeks F1 News

Formula 1’s 2026 season finally kicks into overdrive in June as the Monaco Grand Prix kicks off four key races over the next five weeks.

After the first five flyaway rounds of the campaign were ultimately spread over 12 weeks, with no races in April following the closure of events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, F1 enters an intense summer period when the next nine grands prix take place across Europe.

That ‘European season’ usually runs either side of the August summer break and begins with an initial burst of four races – Monaco, Barcelona, ​​Austria and Great Britain – in five weeks in a race that will add more definition and vital momentum to this year’s world championship battle after a thrilling but stop-start campaign.

But what can we expect from the next five tracks as the in-season development race and the battle for supremacy at the front of the field really starts to heat up?

Monaco Grand Prix – June 5-7

The Jewel in the Crown begins a run of European rounds that runs until September and there is added excitement to see how the new 2026 car fares for this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

There is expected to be little need to lift and coast to recharge the batteries, so drivers can push to the limit in qualifying, which is always exciting in Monaco.

Ferrari have excelled at slow-speed corners this season, so there is a huge chance of ending Mercedes’ winning streak so far this season.

Charles Leclerc is somewhat of a Monaco specialist as he can display his incredible bravery and skill in one lap with the added motivation of driving on home soil.

And with the smaller cars this year, we could see some overtaking which has been a rare feature at the Monaco Grand Prix over the past nine years.

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix – June 12-14

Traditionally, teams have always looked to Barcelona to bring in plenty of new pieces and this year should be no different as the race for development continues.

As it is easy to damage cars in Monaco, teams will usually have new front wings or floors for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a circuit that tests every aspect of the car.

It is a pure aerodynamic circuit thanks to its long main straights and long-radius corners. If you’re fast in Spain, you’ll be fast on most tracks on the calendar.

High-speed corners mean the tires will be punished, so even the cars with the best tire wear will come out on top.

Judging from the first five races this is an area where McLaren look strong and they have also been the best team in terms of development over the past three years. Can Oscar Piastre or Lando Norris pick up their first win of the season in Spain?

Austrian Grand Prix – June 26-28

The Red Bull Ring may be the shortest track in terms of lap times, with only seven corners requiring drivers to touch the brakes, but it often provides great racing.

With this year’s F1 cars able to follow more closely and the Overtake mode allowing the battle to continue for successive laps, the Austrian Grand Prix is ​​not to be missed.

Overtaking can be done up the hill up to Turn 3 but usually leads into Turn 4. McLaren’s Norris and Piastre had a great battle in the early part of the race last season, so we should see more of that later this year.

It could be a big weekend for Red Bull as it is their home event and Max Verstappen is particularly strong at the Spielberg Circuit, with a record five wins.

Verstappen’s future is uncertain as he is unhappy with current F1 regulations but later this month, we should know if there will be changes to the power unit rules for 2027, which could indicate whether the Dutchman will stay in the sport.

British Grand Prix – July 3-5

For the first time since 2021, Silverstone will host a sprint weekend and at this point, plenty of British F1 fans will be hoping Ferrari closes the gap with Mercedes so Hamilton can aim for a record-extending 10th British Grand Prix win.

Hamilton always came up with an extra tenth of a second in front of his home crowd, pushing his car to its absolute limits through iconic corners such as Lufield, Maggotts, Becketts and Stowe.

George Russell hopes to head into Silverstone as his team-mate’s advantage currently stands at 43 points, trailing Kimi Antonelli in the Drivers’ Championship.

The Mercedes driver is yet to finish on the podium at the British Grand Prix but with eight points on offer for the sprint winner ahead of Sunday’s main event, this year’s format could present the perfect time to change his Silverstone fortunes this year.

Watch the Monaco Grand Prix, the first of six races in eight weeks, on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Stream Sky Sports now – no contract, cancel anytime