US Fans Finally Get F1, Just in Time for Its Wildest Season
The 2026 races promise new tech, new rules, new ways to watch and drama in a higher gear
Max Verstappen drives for the heavily decorated Red Bull team in Melbourne during the Australian Grand Prix, the opening event of the 2026 season.
Photographer: Peter Fox/Getty Images
Once upon a time, being a Formula One fan felt like being in on a secret — at least if you lived in America.
Following the sport took work. Races happened abroad and aired during odd hours in the US, if at all. The myriad regulations were difficult to parse. Most Americans couldn’t relate to helmeted drivers oozing European elitism. Plus, races could be boring. Despite 230 mph top speeds and 1,000-horsepower cars, F1’s twisty courses didn’t allow for much passing. To an untrained ear, the announcers might as well have been shouting in French. Sometimes they were.