F1 races return to full distance in 2028

Formula 1 grands prix will go back to their standard length in 2028, according to the BBC. The maximum race distance was cut by 15km for the 2027 season, and rules published this week by the sport's governing body, the FIA, include a clause that reinstates the full figure the year after.

What is changing

The BBC reports that the cap on race distance falls from 305km (189.5 miles) to 290km (180.2 miles) for 2027. For 2028, the new rules restore the 305km maximum. The shorter limit affects only a handful of races where fuel consumption is highest.

Why it was shortened

The reason is a quirk of the engine rule changes. According to the BBC, the hybrid engines introduced this year split power almost evenly between combustion and electrical, and have been criticised for reducing the impact of driver skill. That split will be altered in two steps to 60-40 by 2028, so drivers can use maximum power for longer.

The change means the cars will burn more fuel. That became a problem when it emerged that some teams wanted to carry their chassis over into 2027 to save money. The fuel tank sits inside the chassis, so its size could not change, and those teams might not have been able to finish races on their existing tanks. A shorter maximum distance solved the problem for one season.

Hamilton's objection

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton had objected to the shortening. The BBC quotes the 41-year-old as saying: "The races should be longer because the races are physically easier than ever before. So shortening, I don't think, makes much sense."

He added that F1 is supposed to be the most physically and mentally demanding sport, pointing to hot races such as Singapore, where he said drivers should be "right at the edge of their performance."

What it means

For fans, the practical effect is limited. Most races will run the same length as usual in 2027, and only a few of the most fuel-hungry circuits are touched. From 2028, the full distance returns for everyone.