Formula 1 will shorten the standard Grand Prix distance from 305 kilometres to 290km from the 2027 season after the Formula 1 Commission approved changes linked to the sport’s new power unit regulations.
The decision was reached during the commission’s meeting in London on Monday, September 21, with the reduction expected to remove two or three laps from races depending on the circuit. The change is linked to refinements to the 2027 power unit regulations, including fuel-flow rules.
The commission also approved changes to the way race interruptions will be handled. The current three-hour limit, which runs from the start of a Grand Prix to its conclusion and includes stoppages, will be removed.
Instead, a designated hard-stop time will determine when racing activity ends during disrupted events. The existing two-hour limit on actual racing will remain, while Formula 1 will also have greater flexibility to extend Free Practice sessions when interruptions occur.
The changes are being introduced alongside the next generation of power unit regulations, which will take effect in 2027. The commission also agreed to remove gearbox homologation requirements for the season, allowing suppliers greater freedom in gearbox development.
The regulatory changes remain subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council before they become part of the final regulations.
The shorter races will form part of a 24-round 2027 championship running across 22 countries. The season will begin in Bahrain on March 14 before moving to Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan and China. The final race will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 12.
Formula 1 will also increase the number of Sprint events from six to 10 next season. Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi will host Sprint races for the first time, while the format returns to Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar.
Monaco’s inclusion will add a Sprint weekend to a circuit where overtaking has traditionally been difficult, placing additional importance on qualifying and track position.
Portugal will return to the calendar on June 20, while Türkiye will make its comeback on October 3. The Barcelona-Catalunya circuit will not host a race in 2027, but Spain will remain represented through the Madrid Grand Prix in September.
The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort will also be absent from the 2027 schedule. Barcelona-Catalunya is set to return in 2028 as part of a rotation arrangement with Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
With shorter standard races and a record 10 Sprint weekends, the 2027 championship will introduce significant changes to both the sporting format and the technical regulations governing Formula 1.
