The governing body approved modifications to qualifying, the race, the start and wet weather conditions, it also adjusts energy management, limits Boost and improves safety in damp conditions. The Miami GP will be the testing ground.
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) put an end to the speculation: this April 20, through an official statement, announced the changes to the Formula 1 regulations that will come into effect from the Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 3. The modifications are the result of meetings held between the FIA, FOM and the teams after the first three races of the 2026 season.
The main trigger was Oliver Bearman's heavy crash in Japan, which set off all the alarms, but the constant complaints from drivers about energy management and the lack of spectacle in qualifying also had an influence, the package of adjustments covers four key areas: qualifying, the race, the start and wet weather conditions.
With regard to qualifying, the FIA modified the energy management parameters: the maximum recharge per lap goes from 8 to 7 megajoules, which prevents excessive energy harvesting and promises more constant speeds and furthermore, the maximum power of the Superclip charger increases from 250 to 350 kilowatts, reducing charging time. The number of races in which alternative energy limits can be applied was also extended from 8 to 12.
For the races the governing body limited the maximum power available through the Boost to +150 kilowatts, with the aim of avoiding sudden performance differences that generate artificial overtaking, the activation power of the MGU-K will be limited to 250 kilowatts, with the exception of two situations: exiting a corner up to the braking point and overtaking zones, where the limit will be 350 kilowatts.
The starts also received attention as the FIA developed a new "low power start detection" system to identify cars whose acceleration is abnormally low, if that occurs, the MGU-K will be automatically activated to guarantee minimum acceleration. Additionally, the affected car's flashing lights will be activated to warn other drivers, there will also be a reset of the energy counter on the formation lap, correcting a fault that teams and drivers had been reporting.
Finally, in wet and damp conditions, the FIA listened to the complaints, the temperature of the thermal blanket for intermediate tires will be increased, improving their grip, the maximum ERS deployment will also be reduced to give better car control on a slippery track and the light signals will be clearer, allowing more reaction time for the drivers behind.
With these adjustments, the FIA seeks to balance the television spectacle with the authenticity of driving, Miami will be the first thermometer: if they work, the championship could take a substantial turn, if not, they will go back to the drawing board.