FIA confirm changes to 2026 F1 regulations as statement issued ahead of Miami GP

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has released a statement following several of the sport’s stakeholders taking part in a “high-level” meeting to discuss the 2026 regulation changes earlier today, while the FIA have confirmed refinements to the regs have been made ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in May.

On Monday, despite F1 currently being midway through a hiatus due to the cancellation of the Saudi and Bahrain Grands Prix amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, members of the sport’s hierarchy — including commercial sponsors, teams, drivers and the FIA — met for what has been described as a “high-level” meeting to discuss the 2026 regulation changes.

Just three races into the 2026 campaign, several drivers have taken issue with the regulation changes, with four-time world champion and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen being particularly outspoken on the subject. He even compared the sport under the 50/50 split engine to Formula E “on steroids” and has also hinted at retirement.

Concerns have also been raised following Oliver Bearman’s crash at the Japanese Grand Prix, with the FIA stating that increased closing speeds contributed to the Haas driver’s accident.

Aside from the 50/50 split between internal combustion and electric energy now powering the car, the cars are also lighter, shorter and narrower, with less drag and downforce.

Meanwhile, the Drag Reduction System (DRS) has been replaced by F1’s active aero system, which sees the cars change shape in the corners using Z-mode and on the straights using X-mode.

Discussions over potential alterations to the new regulations have been ongoing throughout April, with another meeting involving F1 CEOs taking place today (April 20), before a final proposal is sent to the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) for approval ahead of the next race.

FIA chief releases statement

In the hours after the meeting, Ben Sulayem, who has served as FIA president since December 2021, issued the following statement:

“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 One.

“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.”

F1 returns next month, with the Miami Grand Prix set to take place on May 3.

FIA confirm refinements to regulations

As per the FIA’s website, the following list of refinements has been agreed by the FIA, teams, OEMs, Power Unit Manufacturers, and FOM.

The FIA posted the following information on its website detailing the changes.

Qualifying - promoting performance

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

Peak superclip power has been increased to 350kW (previously 250kW), further reducing the time spent recharging and lowering 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.

Race - improved safety and consistency of performance

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

MGU-K deployment is 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.

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

Race starts - enhanced safety mechanisms

A new “low power start detection” system has been developed, capable of identifying cars with abnormally low acceleration shortly after clutch release.

In such cases, automatic MGU-K deployment will be triggered to ensure a minimum level of acceleration and mitigate start-related risks, without introducing any sporting advantage.

An associated visual warning system is being introduced, activating flashing rear and lateral lights on affected cars to alert following drivers.

A reset of the energy counter at the start of the formation lap has also been implemented to correct a previously identified system inconsistency.

Wet conditions – improving safety and visibility

Tyre blanket temperatures for intermediate tyres have been increased following driver feedback to improve initial grip and tyre performance in wet conditions.

Maximum ERS deployment will be reduced, limiting torque and improving car control in low-grip conditions.

The rear light system has been simplified, with clearer and more consistent visual cues to improve visibility and reaction time for following drivers in poor conditions.

The proposal will go before an FIA WMSC e-vote before the Miami Grand Prix.