F1 Calendar Disruption
- There still isn't a result for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix because the race was postponed, creating a calendar gap. (espn.com) - Teams have used the unexpected break to develop upgrades, with Ferrari testing new parts at Monza ahead of Miami. (gpfans.com) - Honda said it's racing against the clock on urgent Miami updates, and drivers warn new rules could bring quirks. (crash.net) (f1oversteer.com)
Formula 1 still has no Saudi Arabian Grand Prix result because the race never happened, leaving a 35-day gap before Miami on May 3. (espn.com) The 2026 season stopped after Japan, where Kimi Antonelli won for Mercedes, and the next race is now the Miami Grand Prix on May 1-3 around the Miami Dolphins’ stadium. Bahrain had been scheduled for April 12 and Saudi Arabia for April 19 before both races were called off. (espn.com) ESPN reported the cancellations were confirmed on March 14 after safety concerns linked to the war in Iran, and Formula 1 could not slot in replacement races because freight deadlines, staffing and ticketing made a late reshuffle impractical. The published 2026 calendar had already been cut from 24 races to 22. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) Teams have treated the empty April like a second preseason. Ferrari used a filming day at Monza on April 22 to run new parts, with Charles Leclerc driving in the morning and Lewis Hamilton later in the day as the team tried to cut Mercedes’ early advantage. (gpfans.com) Honda said the same break has turned into emergency workshop time for Aston Martin, whose new partnership has opened with severe power-unit vibrations, reliability trouble and only one classified finish for the team through Japan. Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s trackside general manager and chief engineer, said staff in Sakura were working “against the clock” ahead of Miami. (crash.net) The pause also overlaps with rule changes that will start in Miami after early complaints about the 2026 cars and engines. Motorsport.com reported the FIA, Formula 1, teams and manufacturers unanimously agreed on adjustments focused mainly on energy management and safety. (motorsport.com) One change cuts recharge demand in qualifying from 8MJ to 7MJ, while another is meant to reduce “super-clipping,” the loss of electric deployment late on straights that has forced drivers to coast more than expected. Formula 1 will also test a revised start procedure in Miami to avoid slow launches. (f1oversteer.com) (motorsport.com) Oscar Piastri said the Miami tweaks are “a step in the right direction,” but he also expects “unexpected” quirks once teams and drivers start pushing the revised package in race conditions. After a month without a grand prix, Miami now looks less like Round 4 than a reset for the whole field. (f1oversteer.com)
