F1 cuts 2027 race distance to 290km and changes disruption deadlines

Formula 1 will shorten the maximum distance of grands prix from 305km to 290km in 2027, alongside changes designed to give disrupted races more time to reach a conclusion. BBC Sport reported that the package also includes greater flexibility to extend practice sessions when interruptions reduce the time available on track.

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The 15km reduction in race distance is linked to a change in the balance between internal-combustion and electrical power. According to the BBC report, that ratio will move from 53-47 this year to 58-42 next season, then to 60-40 in 2028. The increased contribution from the combustion engine means the cars will require more fuel.

Fuel capacity became a concern because some teams wanted to retain their existing chassis for another season to reduce costs. The fuel tank sits inside the chassis, so keeping that structure would also leave its tank size unchanged. Under the longer race distance, those teams faced the possibility of being unable to complete grands prix with the fuel their existing tanks could carry.

The separate timing change does not remove the limit of two hours of racing. Instead, it replaces the current three-hour overall window for completing an interrupted grand prix with a race-specific deadline, described as a hard stop time. That deadline will apply when incidents such as accidents or rain delay proceedings, allowing the available finishing window to reflect conditions at each venue.

Local circumstances will determine how late an event can continue. A night race, for example, offers more scope for a later finish than a daytime event where sunset arrives relatively early. The FIA said the purpose of the changes was to improve spectators' chances of seeing a complete race when disruptions occur, rather than losing racing time to the existing overall duration limit.

The F1 Commission, which brings together the teams, the FIA and Formula 1's commercial rights holder, also agreed to allow more flexibility in extending interrupted free-practice sessions. At present, the practice clock continues to run during a red-flag stoppage. That differs from qualifying and races, where the competition is suspended, and can leave drivers with less running after an incident.