FIA tweaks qualifying

The FIA issued the change on March 25, 2026, cutting the maximum permitted energy recharge for qualifying at Suzuka from 9.0 megajoules to 8.0 megajoules. (formula1.com) The modification was agreed in talks that included the FIA, all 11 F1 teams and the five power‑unit manufacturers — Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Ford, Audi and Honda — who gave unanimous support. (formula1.com) FIA briefings described the move as a “targeted refinement” intended to restore the intended balance between energy deployment and driver performance and said further talks are scheduled in the coming weeks. (formula1.com) Teams and officials cited “super clipping” and lift‑and‑coast tactics as the problem the tweak targets, with onboard footage from the Australian Grand Prix showing speed drops of more than 50 km/h on the run into Turn 9 as cars harvested energy. ( ) The Suzuka adjustment follows an earlier activation of a regulatory clause at Albert Park, where the FIA temporarily imposed a 7.0 MJ cap on qualifying laps in Melbourne to discourage extreme energy‑harvesting tactics. (autosport.com) The 2026 technical regulations give the FIA scope to vary per‑lap recoverable‑energy limits — including the ability to impose much lower caps for specific events if required — a power the governing body has begun using this season. ( ) Reaction in the paddock has been mixed: some drivers welcomed the tweak as a step in the right direction while others, including Oliver Bearman, warned it could simply make lap times slower, and journalists described “guarded optimism” ahead of qualifying. ( )