On Monday the last teams — McLaren and Aston Martin — pulled the covers off their 2026 liveries. That completes the 2026 grid, which this year again consists of eleven F1 teams. Some entries have stuck with familiar colour schemes, so spotting the differences from last year’s cars can be a hunt. Other teams have rolled out entirely new designs over the past weeks. It’s high time for an overview!
McLaren
Constructors’ champion McLaren was one of the last teams to show the new livery for the MCL40. The defending champions have again dressed the car in the same papaya colours used in previous years. According to CEO Zak Brown, it brings luck: McLaren has reportedly never changed the colour scheme after winning a title. One thing is certain: the design still turns heads.
Mercedes
Mercedes opted for an evolution of the silver-and-black livery from 2025. The green details from title sponsor Petronas remain. The German manufacturer is already regarded as one of the favourites for the 2026 season, although that reputation rests largely on the car’s under-the-skin design. Through thermal expansion Mercedes could increase the engine’s compression ratio, which would deliver significantly more power.
Red Bull
Max Verstappen and new team-mate Isack Hadjar will race this season in a predominantly blue RB22. The livery departs little from the designs of recent years, although the colour scheme is set apart by a glossy paint finish. In recent seasons Red Bull consistently opted for a matte look, but with the new regulations Verstappen now appears in a gloss car. “I think the car looks much better,” he said during the season launch. “I love the gloss, I love the blue. It looks fresh.”
Ferrari
Scarlet red — how could it be otherwise? Still, the SF-26’s design differs significantly from its predecessor. The car carries white and black details, with the upper section dominated by a prominent white panel. The front and rear wings are — as with the cars from the 1990s — finished in black. The bright blue logo of title sponsor HP again sits on the rear of the car. That sponsorship has been a sore point for Ferrari fans for several years, but it returns in 2026 once more.
Williams
Williams will unveil a brand-new, vivid blue livery for the upcoming F1 season. The design features a high-gloss finish and white details intended to highlight the British outfit’s growing number of sponsors. Williams staged an impressive recovery last year with drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon; after years of sporting decline the team finished fifth in the championship. The build-up to the new season, however, wasn’t seamless: Williams had to miss the closed shakedown in Barcelona.
Racing Bulls
After the success of the all-white look in 2025, Racing Bulls have opted for an evolution of their livery. The colour scheme has been supplemented with blue accents, referencing the new partnership with Ford. “This launch reflects the evolution of Racing Bulls as a brand and as a racing team,” CEO Peter Bayer said. “We want to engage the next generation in an authentic, bold and inclusive way.” It’s certainly eye-catching.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin was the last team to reveal its 2026 livery. Even with team principal and chief designer Adrian Newey at the helm, the car remains British racing green, although the paintwork also features a number of yellow accents. Expectations around the AMR26 are high. The team has trailed the frontrunners in recent years, but with Newey in charge and an exclusive Honda power unit tucked under the bodywork they’ll be banking on Silverstone to deliver that long‑awaited turnaround.
Haas
The livery of the Haas car looks, at first glance, largely unchanged. The black carbon finish with white‑and‑red detailing has become a recognisable motif. In 2026 the team will lean more heavily on backing from Toyota GR; the Japanese outfit is clearly reflected in the design. It’s not a flamboyant scheme, but the VF‑26 certainly presents well.
Audi
Audi, which bought the Sauber team and thus debuts in the sport’s top flight, has chosen a silver-coloured chassis with carbon accents and neon-red details for its first F1 livery. According to the German outfit, the design reflects ‘the brand’s new visual identity’. Fans were divided on the Audi look: sharp, but for some a little colourless. One can only hope the team makes a bigger impression on track.
Alpine
At a special season launch in Barcelona, Alpine unveiled the A526, its 2026 F1 car. For the occasion the team teamed up with sponsor MSC Cruises; the car was revealed aboard a cruise ship. Alpine’s colour scheme has changed little: the French squad sticks with the familiar pink-and-blue livery. Under the skin, however, the Renault power unit has been replaced by a new Mercedes power unit.
Cadillac
The eleventh Formula 1 team made a big show of its new livery. A costly Super Bowl ad spot put Cadillac in front of an audience of millions. The new car was also revealed on Times Square in New York, where a life-size show model was displayed in a glass case. Reaction was disappointing; fans had hoped for a colourful injection on the grid, but Cadillac went with a black-and-white design. The asymmetrical livery is, however, unique.
