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FIA President issues statement after F1 2026 rule changes set for Miami

PressNewsAgency
By PressNewsAgency

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has issued a statement following the announcement of new changes to the 2026 F1 regulations.
Among the changes are tweaks to energy deployment in qualifying, including changes to harvesting and super-clipping limits, with safety concerns in the Grand Prix racing, and race starts, also set to be addressed.
The final proposals are set to be put before a FIA WMSC e-vote with a view to implementation before the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, although those surrounding race start procedures will be tested and analysed during that weekend.
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Ben Sulayem issues FIA statement following rule changes

In a statement, Ben Sulayem said: “I would like to praise everyone across the Formula 1 ecosystem – the FIA staff, teams, drivers and the Power Unit Manufacturers – for the constructive and collaborative work carried out in a very short space of time.

“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.

“We now look forward to the rest of what promises to be an exciting 2026 season.”

FIA reveal changes set for Miami Grand Prix

One of the main concerns among drivers was the amount of lift and coast and super-clipping required during qualifying, due to the energy management demands of the 2026 cars.

The FIA have announced the following changes to qualifying:

“Adjustments to energy management parameters, including a reduction in maximum permitted recharge from 8MJ to 7MJ, aimed at reducing excessive harvesting and encouraging more consistent flat-out driving. This change targets a maximum superclip duration reduced to approximately 2-4 seconds per lap.

“Peak superclip power increased to 350 kW, previously being 250kW, further reducing the time spent recharging, and reducing driver workload on energy management. This will also be applied in Race conditions.

“The number of events where alternative lower energy limits may apply has been increased from 8 to 12 races, allowing greater adaptation to circuit characteristics.”

Elsewhere, safety concerns in the racing itself have also been addressed, these heightened after Ollie Bearman’s huge 50G crash in Suzuka, after he approached a slow-moving Alpine of Franco Colapinto, who was harvesting at Spoon Curve.

“The maximum power available through the Boost in race conditions is now capped at +150 kW (or the car’s current power level at activation if higher) limiting sudden performance differentials.

“MGU-K deployment is maintained at 350 kW in key acceleration zones (from corner exit to braking point, including overtaking zones) but will be limited to 250 kW in other parts of the lap.

“These measures are designed to reduce excessive closing speeds while maintaining overtaking opportunities and overall performance characteristics.

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