The FIA has implemented a few final rule changes for Formula 1 during the last meeting of the World Motorsport Council. The meeting in Uzbekistan reflected on the 2025 season and the governing body definitively approved the rules for next year. One of the most significant changes for 2026 relates to the sprint weekend: the first free practice can now be extended if it is interrupted by a red flag.
The sprint format has been on the Formula 1 schedule since 2021. During several Grand Prix weekends throughout the year – six times in 2025 – the premier class holds a sprint race on Saturday. Prior to this shortened race, the sprint qualification already takes place on Friday. This leaves only one free practice remaining. It occasionally happens that a driver causes a red flag during a free practice, resulting in the loss of valuable testing time. The session is then not suspended.
The FIA is making a change to this for 2026 – at least for the sprint weekends. During the last meeting of the World Motorsport Council of the year in Uzbekistan, a few minor matters were changed, including for the sprint weekend. From 2026, the new rule applies that it is possible to add time to a first free practice. This only applies when this session is interrupted by a red flag. The FIA hopes to thereby ensure “sufficient relevant training time” for the teams.
Additional Rule Changes
The new rule for sprint weekends is not the only change to the sporting regulations that the FIA has implemented. For instance, teams are allowed to employ more operational staff until 2026. Sixty team members is now the limit for all racing stables. The FIA hopes this will enable teams to effectively manage the new generation of cars. The procedures for interruptions and restarts of races have also been simplified, and the limits for dry-weather tires for the sprint qualification will no longer be waived when a sprint qualification takes place on a wet track.
For 2027, the FIA has already decided that Formula 1 will return to a single winter test before a new season. This is a change from 2026 – the year when a new generation of cars will be on the starting grid – when the teams will have three winter tests.
