F1 Announces 2026 Championship Schedule with Australian Grand Prix as First Race.

The 2026 Formula 1 season will begin with the Australian Grand Prix, marking the first time Melbourne has hosted the opening race. The event will take place from March 5 to 8 at Albert Park. The new season will feature Cadillac and Audi as the 11th and 12th teams, respectively, and Ford will rejoin F1 for the first time since 2004.

American Express (NYSE:AXP) has announced the launch of an exclusive lounge in Montréal for Formula 1 visitors, coinciding with the upcoming race weekend [1]. The lounge, called Maison Amex, will be available to cardmembers from June 12 to 15, offering a premium experience for those attending the Formula 1 race.

Meanwhile, Ferrari has been facing significant challenges in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Despite securing a second position in the constructors’ standings after the Spanish Grand Prix, the team's performance has fallen short of expectations. The introduction of new front wing flexibility checks by the FIA was expected to narrow the gap between Ferrari and its competitors, particularly McLaren. However, McLaren's upgrades at Imola, including a stiffer wing, helped them maintain a considerable advantage over Ferrari [2].

Ferrari's struggles have raised doubts about the viability of investing further resources in the current season's car. With the 2026 technical rules on the horizon, the team must weigh the benefits of continuing to enhance the SF-25 against prioritizing the development of next year's car [2]. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, has urged Ferrari to shift their focus to the 2026 Formula 1 rules, abandoning their struggling SF-25 car for the remainder of the 2025 season [3].

The 2026 Formula 1 season will begin with the Australian Grand Prix, marking the first time Melbourne has hosted the opening race. The event will take place from March 5 to 8 at Albert Park. The new season will feature Cadillac and Audi as the 11th and 12th teams, respectively, and Ford will rejoin F1 for the first time since 2004 [4].

References:
[1] https://seekingalpha.com/news/4455330-american-express-launches-exclusive-lounge-in-montreal-for-formula-1-visitors
[2] https://motorcyclesports.net/charles-leclerc-ferrari-f1-future-2026/
[3] https://motorcyclesports.net/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-2026-f1-rules/
[4] (Provided topic information)