If you’ve been refreshing your feed trying to figure out what time does fi start today, you’re probably either a gearhead, a basketball junkie, or someone deeply stressed about their retirement fund. Honestly, "FI" is one of those pesky acronyms that covers everything from Formula 1 (F1) to FIBA basketball and even Financial Independence groups.
Today is Thursday, January 15, 2026.
Let’s get the big one out of the way. If you’re looking for Formula 1, the 2026 season hasn’t officially gone "lights out" for racing yet—that’s coming in March at the Australian Grand Prix. But, and this is a big but, today is a massive day for the F1 world because of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB) 2026 livery launch.
What Time Does FI Start Today: The VCARB F1 Reveal
The wait for the first look at the 2026 grid aesthetics ends tonight. The VCARB launch event in Detroit is basically the unofficial kickoff for the "FI" preseason hype.
For those of us in the States, it’s a late one. The event officially gets underway at 10:00 PM Detroit time (EST). If you’re tuning in from across the pond, you’re looking at 3:00 AM UTC or 4:00 AM CET on Friday morning.
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You can catch the whole thing streaming on Red Bull TV. It’s not just a paint job reveal this year; since 2026 marks the start of the new technical regulations, everyone is squinting at the chassis to see how teams are interpreting the new aero rules.
Global Start Times for Today’s F1 Event
- New York/Detroit: 10:00 PM (Jan 15)
- Los Angeles: 7:00 PM (Jan 15)
- London: 3:00 AM (Jan 16)
- Tokyo: 12:00 PM (Jan 16)
Is It FIBA Basketball You're After?
Maybe you aren't here for cars. If your version of "FI" is the international basketball scene, today’s schedule is actually pretty packed with EuroCup Women and Euroleague action.
The EuroCup Women Round of 16 is in full swing today, January 15. The earliest tip-off was Athinaikos Qualco vs. Sopron Basket, which started at 9:30 AM local time in Greece.
If you are looking for the Euroleague heavy hitters, most of those games are starting throughout the afternoon and evening in Europe. For example, Baskonia vs. Anadolu Efes tips off at 6:30 PM ET, while the Panathinaikos vs. Bayern Munich game starts at 7:30 PM ET.
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Basketball never really sleeps, so if you're asking what time does fi start today for hoops, the answer is "roughly every hour" depending on which continent you’re scouting.
The Confusion Around Financial Independence (FI)
There’s a third group of people searching for this keyword, and they’re usually looking for the Financial Independence (FI) webinars that tend to crop up mid-January.
With the 2025 market wrap-ups just concluding, there are several "Key Steps to Financial Independence" sessions running. Most of these community-led events start around 12:00 PM PST / 3:00 PM EST.
It’s that "New Year, New Me" energy. People are trying to figure out how to retire by 40, and these workshops are the go-to. If you missed the morning sessions, don't sweat it—most of the "FIRE" (Financial Independence, Retire Early) community groups host their main calls in the evening to accommodate 9-to-5 workers.
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Why 2026 Is a Weird Year for F1 Fans
Since we’re technically in the 2026 season cycle now, the term "FI" is getting thrown around more than usual. This is the year of the Power Unit revolution.
The cars are shifting to a nearly 50/50 split between internal combustion and electric power. We’re losing the MGU-H (the heat energy recovery system), and the wings are becoming "active," meaning they’ll move during the lap to reduce drag.
So when people ask what time does fi start today, they aren't just looking for a clock time. They’re looking for a sign of life from the factories. The VCARB launch tonight is the first real "start" of this new era.
Actionable Steps for Today
If you're trying to stay on top of these events, here is what you actually need to do:
- For F1 Fans: Set an alarm for 10:00 PM EST if you want to see the VCARB livery live. Don't rely on Twitter (or X) snippets; the Red Bull TV stream usually has better technical breakdowns of the new 2026 bodywork.
- For Basketball Fans: Check the FIBA LiveStats app. With the EuroCup and Euroleague overlapping today, the start times are fluid, and "local time" versus "your time" is always a headache.
- For the FI/RE Crowd: Check your email for Zoom links. Most of today's financial webinars require pre-registration, but many offer a "late-join" option if the session is still in the "market outlook" phase.
Whether you're waiting for a green light, a tip-off, or a stock market update, today is a busy one. Just make sure you're looking at the right time zone—it's the easiest way to miss the start of the show.