Sportsupdated 1h ago2 min read
FIA Restores 305km F1 Race Distance for 2028 After 2027 Cut
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The 2027 season reduces from 305km to 290km due to new power-unit regulations. From 2028, the standard race distance returns to 305km after temporary 2027 reduction.
15 outlets told this the same way.
FIA restores 305km
Formula 1 will return to its standard maximum race distance of 305km in 2028 after the FIA trimmed the limit by 15km for 2027. The FIA published the 2027 rules this week, and the regulations included a clause that removes the reduction and reinstates the 305km maximum distance for 2028. The 2027 maximum distance is set at 290km, a cut introduced because of a quirk of the situation surrounding changes to the engine rules for next year.
The FIA linked the 2027 cut to fuel-flow limits tied to new hybrid engines introduced this year, which have a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power. Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton had previously objected to the shortening of race distances, and he said: "The races should be longer because the races are physically easier than ever before."
Why 2027 is shorter
Formula 1’s hybrid power units introduced this year have a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power, and the new balance has been criticised for reducing the impact of driver skill. The power split is scheduled to change in two steps, reaching 60-40 by 2028, which the FIA said would enable drivers to have maximum power for longer. The FIA’s 2027 rules also addressed fuel concerns, because the cars will use more fuel and some teams wanted to carry their chassis over into next year to save money.
The fuel tank is within the chassis, so its size could not be changed, and the shorter format was designed to affect only a handful of races where fuel consumption is heaviest. Hamilton argued that the sport should remain physically demanding, saying: "This is supposed to be the sport that's the most physically demanding - mentally and physically."
What changes for teams
Formula 1’s 2028 return to 305km is tied to the FIA’s published 2027 regulations, which included provisions for 2028 that reverse the temporary reduction. The 2027 sporting regulations already state that from 2028 the fewest number of complete laps that exceed 305 kilometers will be required, while Monaco keeps its usual 260 kilometers. Formula 1’s transition plan also depends on teams adapting to the fuel and power-unit changes, because the power split is set to move toward 60-40 by 2028.
“But that's where I think you want to see athletes - just right on the edge, right?”
The FIA’s approach leaves the 2027 cut as a one-season compromise, and it frames the 2028 reinstatement as the restoration of the traditional distance. Hamilton said the sport should push athletes to the edge, adding: "But that's where I think you want to see athletes - just right on the edge, right?"