F1 to bring back standard race distance in 2028

Formula 1 will return to its traditional Grand Prix distance of 305km in 2028, reversing a temporary reduction to 290km set to apply during the 2027 season. 

The FIA’s newly published 2027 Sporting Regulations set out the decision, including a specific provision restoring the longer format from the following year.

The shorter distance was introduced in response to Formula 1’s major power-unit overhaul. From 2026, the sport moves closer to a 50-50 balance between internal combustion and electric power, then shifts further toward a 60-40 split by 2028. 

That change increases fuel energy flow and consumption, raising concerns about whether cars can complete the established 305km distance on the most fuel-intensive circuits.

For 2027, the maximum race distance will therefore fall by 15km, from 305km to 290km. The reduction is not expected to apply universally; it affects only a small number of races where fuel consumption is heaviest. Monaco will remain an exception, continuing at its long-standing 260km distance.

Restoring 305km in 2028 suggests Formula 1 views shorter races as a transitional measure rather than a permanent redefinition of a Grand Prix. 

Article B2.5.2 of the proposed 2028 regulations states that a race must cover the smallest number of complete laps exceeding 305km, with Monaco again the exception at 260km.

The timing is crucial because 2028 also brings the next stage of the power-unit regulations. As the electrical share rises to 60 percent, drivers will have access to maximum power for longer periods. 

FIA’s decision to restore the full distance suggests that fuel-flow and energy-management provisions will be sufficient for cars to race the traditional length by then.

However, there’s still an element of caution. The 2028 provision appears in regulations published alongside the 2027 rules, but the FIA can amend technical and sporting regulations before a season begins. 

Even so, the explicit wording clearly indicates the FIA’s intention: 290km races will be a one-year solution, not the new norm.