Miami to test 2026 tweaks

Formula 1 will start using a revised set of 2026 rules at the Miami Sprint weekend on May 1–3, after teams and engine makers signed off on changes Monday. (fia.com) The agreement came in an online meeting involving the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, team principals, chief executives from power-unit manufacturers and Formula One Management. The package was based on data from the first three races of 2026 in Australia, China and Japan. (formula1.com) At the center of the rewrite is energy management, the system that decides when drivers recharge battery power and when they spend it. Formula 1 said the aim is to cut the amount of lift-and-coast driving and let drivers run closer to flat out in qualifying and races. (skysports.com) The 2026 cars use a new power-unit formula that splits output evenly between the internal-combustion engine and electrical power, a 50-50 balance that changed how drivers manage a lap. That system produced complaints in the opening rounds about heavy harvesting, uneven power delivery and large speed differences between cars. (formula1.com; skysports.com) For qualifying, the maximum permitted recharge drops from 8 megajoules to 7 megajoules. Peak “superclip” power rises to 350 kilowatts from 250, and Formula 1 said that should cut superclip time to about two to four seconds per lap. (fia.com) For races, the maximum extra power from Boost is now capped at 150 kilowatts above the car’s current power level, unless the car is already above that threshold when activated. The MGU-K energy-recovery motor can still deploy 350 kilowatts in key acceleration zones, but it will be limited to 250 kilowatts elsewhere on the lap. (formula1.com) The FIA also expanded the number of races that can use alternative lower energy limits from eight to 12, giving the series more room to adapt the rules to different track layouts. Officials said that change is meant to smooth out performance from circuit to circuit. (fia.com) Miami will also serve as a live test for new race-start protections after slow-launching cars created hazards in the opening events. The FIA said a “low power start detection” system can trigger automatic MGU-K deployment for cars with abnormally weak acceleration and switch on rear and side warning lights to alert drivers behind. (formula1.com) Wet-weather rules were adjusted too, with the FIA saying the changes are focused on safety. Miami is the first race weekend where the sport will find out whether the fixes reduce the energy-saving complaints that surfaced as soon as the new era began. (skysports.com; fia.com)