F1 Miami Grand Prix weekend gets unusual tweak following race cancellations

An FIA flag edited on a backdrop of a neon blue Miami palm tree — Photo: © IMAGO

Miami Grand Prix

F1 Miami Grand Prix weekend gets unusual tweak following race cancellations

FIA rule change at Miami GP explained

By Matthew Hobkinson.

Thursday 30 April 2026 19:45

The FIA has confirmed an unusual adjustment for the Miami Grand Prix weekend, with first practice being extended to 90 minutes.

Formula 1 returns this weekend after an unexpected five-week pause caused by the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.

With no racing since the Japanese Grand Prix, the Miami event now carries extra significance as teams and drivers restart their campaigns in the middle of a crucial development phase for the 2026 season.

Article continues under video

And with the weekend also taking place under the sprint format, the FIA have opted to give teams extra practice time before competitive sessions begin.

Why is Miami GP FP1 90 minutes?

However, the FIA have now confirmed that the only practice session of the weekend will instead last for 90 minutes.

The decision comes after consultation with stakeholders, with teams given more time to gather data following the long break between races.

It also comes after recent tweaks to the 2026 regulations, meaning the extended session will give teams a more useful window to understand their cars before sprint qualifying.

That is particularly important because sprint weekends leave very little margin for error.

Instead of the usual three practice sessions across Friday and Saturday, teams get just one before the serious business begins.