FIA updates Formula 1 testing and Sprint rules for 2026

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council has approved a suite of temporary adjustments to Formula 1’s sporting regulations for the 2026 season, in phase with the sport’s incoming technical rule overhaul.

The decisions, finalized during this week’s FIA General Assemblies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, address long-standing concerns around sprint weekend practice time while also confirming changes to testing, staffing, and race procedures.

One of the most notable updates concerns the format of sprint weekends – an area that has regularly drawn criticism from teams who feel the condensed schedule leaves too little time for setup work.

Historically, the single Friday practice session on a sprint weekend has run to a strict 60-minute clock, irrespective of interruptions.

Red flags at both the 2025 Miami and United States Grands Prix highlighted the issue, drastically reducing running time and leaving engineers scrambling to prepare cars for a busy two-day competitive program.

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Beginning in 2026, the FIA race director will be allowed to extend FP1 if a red flag occurs before the 45-minute point. The extension, applied at the race director’s discretion, can restore the lost time to ensure teams still receive the full hour of practice. If a stoppage occurs after 45 minutes, the session will not be lengthened.

The adjustment applies exclusively to the six sprint weekends scheduled for 2026; standard grand prix weekends – featuring three one-hour practice sessions—remain unchanged.

Testing, Staffing, and Procedural Updates for the New Era

Beyond sprint weekend refinements, the WMSC also confirmed changes to how teams will prepare for and operate during Formula 1’s next major rules transition.

To help teams adapt to the sweeping technical changes arriving in 2026, next year’s pre-season will include an expanded program: two official three-day tests in Bahrain, preceded by a shakedown in Barcelona. However, from 2027 onward, Formula 1 will return to a single pre-season test, mirroring the approach taken in 2025.

Teams will be permitted to bring 60 operational personnel to the paddock in 2026—an increase from the current limit of 58. The FIA described the change as a temporary measure intended to ease the workload associated with running the new-generation cars.

Further minor amendments include simplified race suspension and restart procedures, aimed at improving clarity for teams and spectators. The governing body has also introduced revised tyre allocation rules for wet sprint qualifying sessions, addressing an area that has caused logistical headaches in mixed-weather conditions.

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