Rule changes aimed at fixing controversial new F1 cars agreed ahead of Miami GP

The start of the 2026 Japanese GP. Mark Thompson / Getty Images Share article1A slew of changes will be made to the Formula 1 2026 technical regulations to be implemented from the Miami Grand Prix next week, the FIA announced on Monday. The changes cover four key topic areas: Promoting car performance in qualifying, improving safety in the races, enhancing safety mechanisms for race starts and addressing safety and visibility in wet conditions. The plan is for all rule changes to be implemented from Miami except for those concerning race start adjustments, which will be tested during the Florida race weekend. The push to change the rules follows considerable criticism of F1’s new era at the start of 2026, particularly from the drivers, who felt they were no longer able to push to the limit with the new engines, as had previously been the case. The FIA – motorsport’s governing body — F1 team principals, Formula One Management and the CEOs of the five engine manufacturers met on Monday to discuss the final proposals that were being presented for the rule changes. While the stakeholders have voted in favor of the regulation changes, the final proposals will now go to the World Motor Sport Council for an e-vote. This is a formality in such circumstances. The outcome of Monday’s meeting follows a series of discussions that took place during the current five-week break in racing — a rare spring gap that came from the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs due to the ongoing Middle East conflict. F1 drivers provided “extensive input,” in the discussions, according to an FIA statement. The changes are wide ranging. The proposed adjustments to qualifying focus on addressing lift-and-coast concerns (where a driver lifts off the accelerator at corner entry to save fuel or energy) and promote flat-out driving. This had been a considerable concern for the drivers with the previous rules. In an effort to promote performance in qualifying, there will be adjustments to engine energy management and energy limits. It has been agreed to lower the maximum permitted recharge level, “aimed at reducing excessive harvesting and encouraging more consistent flat-out driving,” according to the FIA statement. This will affect the maximum duration of superclipping – a phenomenon that has been widely criticized since the start of the new season. This is when the engines harvest energy and slow the cars down even though a driver stays on full throttle. The maximum duration of superclipping is now around two to four seconds a lap. The kilowattage for superclipping power has also been increased, from 250kW to 350kW, which reduces the recharge time and the amount of lift-and-coasting the drivers will be required to do. It will be applied in both qualifying and race conditions. A return to “flat-out” qualifying was one of the “headline points” Mercedes driver George Russell, also a director of the Grand Prix Driver’s Association, said the drivers wanted to see around these rule changes. Russell was discussing the meetings during a media call last week. The new tweaks for race rules focus on creating safer conditions and controlling speed differentials. Safety is a topic that’s come under intense scrutiny since Ollie Bearman’s 50G crash during the Japanese Grand Prix last month. The Haas driver went to overtake Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and used his Boost engine setting for extra speed, but this created a big speed differential between the two cars and led to Bearman’s huge crash. The other rule change Russell had said the drivers wanted was a reduction in closing speeds, and the FIA said in its statement that the race rule changes were aimed at preserving overtaking opportunities but around lower closing speeds between cars. To achieve this, the maximum power during a race allowed when a driver is using their engine’s Boost Mode will now be restricted “to +150kW “(or the car’s current power level at activation if higher),” according to the FIA statement. Additionally, deployment of a car’s Motor Generator Unit Kinetic system will be “maintained at 350kW in key acceleration zones (from corner exit to braking point, including overtaking zones) but will be limited to 250kW in other parts of the lap”. This means maximum power will only be permitted during the key parts of tracks that are important to overtaking – such as long straights. The changes for wet condition tweaks are less technical. They focus on increasing tire blanket temperatures for intermediate tires, reducing the maximum deployment for engine energy power to help improve car control in wet conditions, and simplifying rear light systems on the cars. The one section of rule adjustments that will only be tested and analyzed in Miami relates to race starts. A new system has been developed to help with identifying cars that have an “abnormally low acceleration shortly after clutch release,” per the FIA statement. When this happens, from now on “an automatic MGU-K deployment will be triggered to ensure a minimum level of acceleration and mitigate start-related risks without introducing any sporting advantage”. A new visual warning system for this scenario also has been created, after there were several near-misses involving slow starting cars in the first three races of the season. This will feature rear and lateral flashing lights to make other drivers aware. The proposed changes to help with race starts also address the different engine energy levels that drivers can have after the formation lap. The drivers will now all start with the same energy levels. “I would like to praise everyone across the Formula 1 ecosystem – the FIA staff, teams, drivers and the (engine) manufacturers – for the constructive and collaborative work carried out in a very short space of time,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in another statement. “While we have faced an unexpected gap in the calendar due to circumstances beyond the sport, all parties have remained fully committed to acting in the best interests of Formula 1. More than ever, the drivers have been at the heart of these discussions, and I would like to thank them for their valuable input throughout this process. “Safety and sporting fairness remain the FIA’s highest priorities. These changes have been introduced to address the issues identified in the opening events and to ensure the continued integrity and quality of the competition.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms