FIA confirm unusual Miami GP change after race cancellations
Formula 1’s return at the will feature a significant procedural adjustment after the confirmed that Free Practice 1 (FP1) has been extended to 90 minutes.
The decision comes in response to an extended disruption in the race calendar, with both the and cancelled, leaving teams inactive since the . As a result, the Miami weekend effectively serves as a reset point for the 2026 season.
Why the FIA made the change
Under normal circumstances, a sprint weekend format reduces practice running to a single one-hour session before cars enter parc fermé conditions ahead of sprint qualifying. However, given the five-week gap without competitive track action, the FIA has intervened to provide teams with additional preparation time.
By extending FP1 to 90 minutes, the governing body aims to mitigate the impact of lost track time, allowing teams to recalibrate setups, validate upgrades, and reacquaint drivers with race conditions. The move is particularly relevant in a season where development cycles remain aggressive and margins between teams are minimal.
Sprint format meets extended preparation
The Miami Grand Prix weekend retains its sprint structure, meaning that despite the longer FP1 session, teams will still face a compressed schedule once competitive sessions begin. This creates an unusual hybrid format: increased initial preparation followed by the typical high-pressure sprint sequence.
From an engineering standpoint, the additional 30 minutes could prove decisive. Teams can run more extensive data-gathering programs, including long-run simulations and setup comparisons that would otherwise be constrained. For drivers, especially those adjusting to new machinery or recovering from the long break, the extra time offers valuable track reacclimatization.
Strategic implications
The rule adjustment is expected to have varied impacts across the grid. Front-running teams may use the extended session to fine-tune performance details, while midfield and lower-ranked teams gain a rare opportunity to close performance gaps through additional experimentation.
Tyre management, aerodynamic correlation, and reliability checks will all benefit from the increased runtime. Given that sprint weekends typically limit strategic flexibility, this expanded FP1 effectively restores some balance to the preparation phase.
A pivotal return for F1
With the season paused since Japan, Miami now carries heightened importance in shaping the competitive order for the races ahead. The FIA’s intervention underscores the need to maintain sporting fairness while adapting to unforeseen calendar disruptions.
As Formula 1 resumes under the Florida sun, all eyes will be on how teams capitalize on the extended session — a subtle but potentially decisive change in a season already marked by unpredictability.