System 1 2026 free apply classes throughout a dash weekend can be prolonged within the occasion of a crimson flag in an effort to assist guarantee groups obtain sufficient apply time.
On dash weekends, groups solely get a single one-hour apply session on Friday morning earlier than heading straight into dash qualifying for the second on-track session later that day.
Till the 2025 season, the session clock would proceed operating within the occasion of a crimson flag, which led to a state of affairs the place a stoppage may considerably impression the power of drivers and groups to correctly put together for the rest of the weekend, with the only real FP1 classes on the 2025 Miami Grand Prix and US Grand Prix in Austin each impacted by crimson flags.
On the FIA World Motors Sport Council assembly within the Uzbekistan capital of Tashkent, the location of this week’s FIA Normal Assemblies, a tweak has been voted by means of that enables the F1 race director to increase the only real apply session on dash weekend to make sure groups get the complete hour of operating.
In an outline of the WMSC selections, the FIA said: “An allowance has been made for FP1 at a dash occasion to be prolonged following a crimson flag, to make sure that opponents are afforded related apply time.”
Oliver Bearman brought about the crimson flag that ended FP1 in Miami
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
It’s understood this allowance solely comes into play if the free apply session is suspended earlier than the 45-minute mark, wherein case the session could be prolonged as a lot as required on the race director’s discretion to present opponents the complete 60 minutes of apply. The session will not be prolonged whether it is stopped after the 45-minute mark. The tweak solely applies to F1 2026’s six dash format weekends and to not common grand prix weekends, which characteristic three one-hour apply classes.
In different sporting modifications, the FIA confirmed a return to a single pre-season take a look at from 2027 onwards. For subsequent 12 months, winter testing was expanded to 2 official three-days exams in Bahrain, preceded by a shakedown in Barcelona to assist groups familiarize yourself with 2026’s huge regulation modifications.
From 2027, F1 will revert to a single take a look at as was the case in 2025, which was held at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit.
There’s additionally a slight, short-term enhance of the variety of operational workers allowed within the F1 paddock, from 58 to 60 per outfit, to assist groups run the brand new era of vehicles. The FIA additionally simplified race suspension and resumption procedures and tweaked tyre limitations within the occasion of a moist dash qualifying session.
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