F1 to restore 305km grand prix distance in 2028 after one-year cut

Formula 1's standard grand prix distance will fall from 305 to 290 kilometres in 2027, then return to 305 kilometres in 2028 under the FIA's published regulations. Monaco remains an exception, with its race distance staying at 260 kilometres.

The one-year reduction is meant to limit immediate changes as the power units shift back towards combustion. Under the 2026 rules, the combustion engine supplies 53 per cent of total power and the electrical system 47 per cent; that split becomes 58/42 in 2027, with 60/40 targeted for 2028. The permitted fuel flow rises to support more combustion-engine output and is raised again in 2028.

Higher fuel flow allows cars to burn more fuel during a grand prix. To cover the same distance, teams could need larger tanks, potentially requiring chassis changes and adding development work and cost. The shorter 2027 distance is intended to spare teams immediate, far-reaching changes to their cars to accommodate the higher fuel requirement. The regulations do not specify which technical solutions teams will choose or what chassis changes they will ultimately make.