F1 teams 'agree' to shorter races from 2027

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F1 teams 'agree' to shorter races from 2027

Could we see shorter F1 grands prix next season?

By Remy Ramjiawan.

Monday 25 May 2026 21:57

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An F1 boss has revealed an agreement has been reached by he and his fellow team principals to do whatever is necessary for the FIA to usher in urgent changes regarding the new power units, even if it means shortening races.

During a meeting following the Miami Grand Prix last time out, it was suggested a move away from the 50/50 power split between combustion and electrical energy introduced for the 2026 campaign could be achieved from 2027 onwards, with the split heading more towards 60/40.

This came as a result of concerns frequently raised by drivers and teams up and down the grid, citing safety and quality of racing as reasons for the new regulations to be tweaked just a few months into their existence.

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Four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen has been a persistent critic of the overhauled chassis and power unit rules, with Dutch media reporting he was 'seriously considering' retirement over them.

But if the FIA want things to improve as early as next season, they will have to go about implementing the changes as soon as possible.

FIA consider shortening F1 grands prix

According to The Race, the FIA, F1, and all 11 teams have now reached an agreement on a package of measures targeting next season’s engines.

During the Canadian Grand Prix weekend in Montreal, the involved parties met to push forward plans for the coming year.

After implementing a minor rule change in Miami to tweak the racing experience, the FIA made it clear that this was just the beginning.

The goal for next year is to shift the balance between the internal combustion and electric motors to around 60/40, a change that calls for several adjustments.

If this ratio is adjusted, teams expect engines will demand higher fuel flow, meaning more fuel will have to be carried next season as the combustion engine regains importance.

This poses a challenge for teams that want to further develop their current chassis while staying within the budget cap, as the existing fuel tank capacity might not suffice given the increased consumption.

If the cost cap was amended, teams could start work on a new chassis big enough to house a larger fuel tank, but it was decided that creating a fresh chassis just one year into a new regulations cycle was too wasteful.

Instead, to offset the effects of greater fuel demand on circuits with the highest consumption, the FIA is said to be considering the option of trimming the race length by one or two laps at tracks that require it.

The race distance would be shortened by a couple of laps as well as only a single lap from the pits to the grid being introduced before a grand prix.

This approach would keep the overall race distance close to the standard 305 kilometers, ensuring the spirit of the grand prix remains intact while addressing the new technical requirements.

Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane confirmed the idea at the Canadian GP, revealing there is support among his fellow team principals to shorten races.

“We’ve come to an agreement, certainly at team principal level, that if anyone wanted to carry their chassis over and that wasn’t quite big enough to do the 310km race, we would look at selective races and, of course, only where absolutely necessary, by shortening them by maybe one or two laps, and limiting laps to grid to one," he said.

F1 FIA Alan Permane