Overview
- FIA officials said Thursday that Miami’s only practice will run from 12:00 to 13:30 local time, with all track sessions before FP1 moved 30 minutes earlier.
- The extension answers a five‑week gap after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled and the sprint format that normally leaves just one hour of setup time.
- The 2026 package being trialled reduces per‑lap energy harvesting to 7MJ, raises peak ‘superclip’ output to 350 kW for brief bursts, caps passing boost at +150 kW, and tiers MGU‑K power to 350 kW in acceleration zones and 250 kW elsewhere.
- Safety updates include an automated system that fires the MGU‑K if a car bogs down at the start and synchronized warning lights, plus smoother ERS delivery in the wet and an energy counter reset before the formation lap.
- Opinions remain split as McLaren’s Andrea Stella says on‑track laps are vital to validate software, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali insists the sport is in good shape, and David Coulthard warns Miami may not reveal the full effect of the changes.