What changed
Formula 1 will restore the maximum grand-prix distance to 305km in 2028, after cutting it by 15km to 290km for the 2027 season. The FIA’s 2027 rules include the clause making that return, as the power balance shifts to 60% internal-combustion and 40% electrical power.
Why it matters
The shorter 2027 races are a fuel-tank workaround, not a new sporting ideal. Some teams wanted to carry their chassis into next season to save money, but the existing tanks might not hold enough fuel once the cars use more internal-combustion power.
That makes 2027 a one-season compromise affecting only the races with the heaviest fuel consumption. By 2028, drivers should have maximum power for longer, but the trade-off is higher fuel use and the return to the full 305km distance.
Lewis Hamilton’s objection lands neatly here: if modern races are physically easier, cutting them further would move Formula 1 away from the endurance test it claims to be. The precise effects on fuel strategy, pit stops and finishing rates remain unclear, but the direction is clear. The sport is restoring distance just as the cars are being set up to demand more from both fuel systems and drivers.
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