F1 Commission Backs Shorter 2027 Grands Prix, Pending FIA Council Approval

Formula One’s rule-making commission has backed reducing the standard Grand Prix distance from 305 kilometres to 290 kilometres for 2027, a change the FIA says would usually remove two or three laps. The proposal was agreed at the commission’s September 21 meeting in London, alongside changes to how disrupted races are timed. Every regulatory change remains subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, so the shorter distance is not yet a final rule.

The FIA links the distance change to refinements of the 2027 power-unit fuel-flow regulations. A 15-kilometre reduction amounts to just under five percent of the present 305-kilometre benchmark, but the lap reduction will vary by circuit length. It should not be presented as a uniform cut in race duration or as a measure already in force for the coming Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

For races delayed by rain or another interruption, the commission wants a hard stop time for the end of racing activity while removing the present three-hour limit measured from start to finish, including stoppages. The two-hour cap on actual racing would remain. These are two different clocks: time when cars are racing and elapsed time that includes a suspension. The FIA says the change is intended to improve the chance spectators see a full race after a disruption.

The commission also agreed in principle to give organizers more flexibility to extend interrupted free-practice sessions. It backed removing gearbox homologation for 2027 following consultation with manufacturers and a recommendation from its sporting advisory group, which the FIA says would preserve suppliers’ development freedom. Minor technical changes were also discussed.

The meeting was chaired by FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis and Formula One Management chief Stefano Domenicali. The next meaningful milestone is the World Motor Sport Council’s approval or alteration of the proposals. Until then, the commission’s decision describes the direction of the regulations, not their completed adoption.