Formula 1 returns for the Miami Grand Prix after an extended five-week break following the cancellations of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
2026 marked the start of a new chapter in F1 following a radical overhaul in technical regulations, and while the new car specifications have led to mild improvement in the volume of overtakes, the energy management required with the new power units has led to scathing criticism from drivers.
Safety concerns were also raised in the aftermath of the Japanese Grand Prix after Oliver Bearman suffered a right knee contusion in a high-speed crash at Suzuka.
Changes to engine regulations were approved at a meeting on Monday involving F1 bosses, the FIA and team principals. Most of the alterations will be implemented for the fourth round of the season in Miami this weekend.
An FIA statement said: "A number of refinements to the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship regulations were agreed today during an online meeting between the FIA, Team Principals, CEOs of Power Unit Manufacturers and FOM.
"The final proposals presented during today's meeting were the result of a series of consultations over the past few weeks between the FIA, technical representatives and extensive input from F1 drivers.
"Discussions around potential adjustments were based on data gathered from the first three events of the 2026 season."
We've compiled a breakdown of the engine regulation changes and how they might affect a race weekend.
What changes have been made for the Miami Grand Prix?
Qualifying
Qualifying has always been about a driver pushing his machinery to the limit but this year, several drivers have been forced to lift off the accelerator and coast into corners on a qualifying lap to preserve enough battery so that it doesn't harm performance in the final sector.
To combat battery management, the maximum recharge permitted per lap has been reduced from 8 megajoules to 7MJ. A lower limit ensures batteries are more likely to be topped up without requiring significant battery-saving techniques.
Also the amount of power that can be recovered from superclipping - when the driver is on full throttle but not deploying battery - has been increased to 350 kilowatts from 250kw.
The FIA hope these alterations would minimise the maximum time spent superclipping on qualifying lap to two to four seconds, and drivers can complete a qualifying lap more naturally by going flat-out instead of harvesting energy.
Race starts
Race starts have been a hot topic in the opening three races of the season given that some drivers have encountered difficulties getting off the start line due to engine configurations.
In Miami, alterations to the race-start procedure will be trialled to mitigate the prospect of cars crashing into the back of others that have experienced a slow start.
A new on-board system will be introduced which detects if a driver has suffered a low start and initiate automatic deployment of the MGU-K to "ensure a minimum level of acceleration and mitigate start-related risks without introducing any sporting advantage".
A visual warning system has also been added to alert drivers of those who are slower ahead, while changes to energy restrictions should prevent cars from arriving at the grid with low battery levels, therefore minimising the chances of issues on the start line.
Races
Bearman's high-speed crash at Suzuka was unwanted but important evidence of the dangers drivers face when experienced with sudden speed differentials.
With Franco Colapinto superclipping ahead of him in the Alpine, Bearman was deploying maximum battery power and despite both drivers being on full throttle, the speed difference resulted in the Briton having to take evasive action before ploughing into the barrier.
To avoid a repeat of this scenario, the maximum 'boost' power has been capped at 150kW, or the car's existing deployment level - whichever is higher.
There are now limitations on when full power can be accessed depending on track location. Drivers will possess full deployment of the 350kW when accelerating out of corners, but will be limited to 250kW in other sections of the track.
It's hoped the measures will reduce excessive closing speed differences whilst maintaining overtaking opportunities.
The nature of the new engines had also prompted concerns regarding how cars might act in the rain. F1 is yet to experience wet weather in the first three races of the season, but alterations have been made to improve safety in treacherous conditions.
Teams will be permitted to increase the temperature of tyre blankets to improve grip in wet conditions, while the maxumum levels of electrical deployment will be reduced to improve car control.
What have the drivers said about the rule changes?
Many drivers have been vocal of their dislike for the new regulations, not least four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who's made a series of complaints concerning the new era of F1 cars.
The changes have been made to appease driver frustration, and McLaren driver Oscar Piastri is cautiously optimistic that the adjustments will lead to a better experience behind the wheel.
“The two main things we [drivers] wanted addressing was reinstating the challenge in qualifying and making things more natural in the way it should be in qualifying and being able to reduce the closing speeds and the speed differences in the race in unexpected places,” said Piastri.
“The FIA took it very seriously. F1 took it very seriously. I think that’s reflected in some of the changes and the dialogue’s been very good. We’ll have to wait and see if we need further changes. We probably had ideas of other things that you could change but they’re not things you can change from one weekend to the next. They’re from year to year or even longer term than that.
“I think the FIA did a good job of recognising our concerns and acting in what seemed like the most appropriate way.”
