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FIA Approves 2026 Sprint-Weekend Fix to Protect FP1 and Boost Team Operations

The package is designed to protect practice time at sprints to smooth teams’ shift to the 2026 technical rules.

Overview

  • FP1 at sprint events may be extended if a red flag stops the session before minute 45, allowing the full 60 minutes of practice at the race director’s discretion.
  • The extension rule applies only to the six sprint-format weekends on the 2026 calendar and does not cover traditional Grand Prix weekends.
  • Teams are permitted up to 60 operational on‑track personnel in 2026 as a temporary measure to run the new-generation cars.
  • Pre-season for 2026 will feature a five-day private shakedown in Barcelona followed by two Bahrain tests, with a return to a single pre-season test in 2027.
  • Race operations were streamlined with simplified suspension and resumption procedures and adjustments to tyre limits for sprint classifications in wet conditions.