A few days before the Formula 1 season opener in Australia (March 8th), the world automobile association FIA announced various changes to the regulations. Among other things, qualifying was minimally adjusted.
The FIA has made a small but not insignificant adjustment to Formula 1 qualifying: As the world association announced, the third qualifying session will be extended from the previous twelve to 13 minutes. In Q3, the ten fastest drivers to date are fighting for pole position.
Since there will be eleven teams on the track instead of the previous ten after Cadillac’s entry in 2026, and therefore two more cars, the number of drivers who will be eliminated after Q1 and Q2 will also increase. In the first two sections, no longer five, but now six pilots will be sorted out based on their lap times.
Another adjustment to the regulations concerns the Monaco Grand Prix: At the Formula 1 classic in the Principality last season, the drivers had to use three sets of tires so that the teams were forced to use a two-stop strategy. However, this requirement caused a lot of criticism and is now being deleted.
Formula 1: FIA finds compromise in engine trouble
The engine issue in Formula 1 that had been simmering for weeks was also resolved amicably shortly before the start of the season. Specifically, the dispute was about the permitted compression ratio in the combustion engine of the drive unit and a trick that Mercedes apparently uses.
The competition accuses the team of increasing the compression ratio to 18:1 during racing while at the same time complying with the FIA limit of 16:1 in the static test carried out so far under normal outside temperatures.
The FIA’s compromise now stipulates: Nothing will change for the first races; from June 1, 2026, the compression ratio will be monitored both when warm and when cold. From 2027, measurements will only be taken under operating conditions of 130 degrees Celsius.
“The adjustments to the technical regulations follow the pre-season tests in Barcelona and Bahrain as well as extensive feedback from drivers and teams,” the FIA announced. The power unit manufacturers also voted unanimously on this matter.
