F1 Approves Shorter Races for 2027 – Because Smaller Fuel Tanks Matter More Than the Fans
F1 has approved cutting roughly 3 laps per circuit from 2027 to avoid fitting bigger fuel tanks to the new power units.
Good news for anyone who thinks F1 races are already too long: from 2027 they’ll be roughly three laps shorter at every circuit. Bad news for anyone who actually enjoys watching more racing – but hey, at least the fuel tanks stay small.
Why This Is Actually Happening
The reason has nothing to do with the fan experience. The new power units will allow the internal combustion engine to reach 420kW with 5% higher fuel flow, while the electric MGU-K gets trimmed to 300kW (350kW in overtake mode). To avoid fitting bigger fuel tanks, the race distance is simply being cut instead. An elegant solution – as long as you’re not the fan who paid for a full-length race.
- The fixed 3-hour red-flag window is scrapped in favour of a daylight-based rule
- Race directors will be able to extend free practice after long red-flag stoppages
- Gearbox homologation is being rescinded
- In 2028 ICE power rises to 450kW on a 60/40 split – which will require bigger tanks after all
In other words, the bigger-tank problem is simply being postponed by a year. The engineers’ logic is, without question, airtight.
Based on reporting by motorsport.com.
