F1 changes: new rules for qualifying starting with Japanese GP

The FIA has decided to intervene. After so many complaints from drivers about the new qualifying sessions being too “limited” by the management of the electrical part, Formula 1’s highest body has found a solution that meets the needs of the actors on the track. To make qualifying more fun and “real,” starting with the Japanese GP, the limit of charging in qualifying has been moved from 9 MJ to 8 MJ.

What does this mean in simple terms? Simple, a reduction in the various superclipping and lift&coast in qualifying, which is exactly what the drivers were complaining about. In fact, it is a first measure to improve this new Formula 1 which, as we know, is in its infancy. This decision taken by the FIA came rather quickly (this is the third GP of the World Championship) and with the okay from all the manufacturers.

“To ensure that the expected balance between energy delivery and driver performance is maintained, the maximum energy recharge allowed for qualifying this weekend has been reduced from 9.0 MJ to 8.0 MJ. This change reflects the feedback received from drivers and teams, who emphasized the importance of keeping qualifying as a performance challenge,” reads the official FIA statement.

Also in the statement, it is also pointed out that “… The FIA notes that the first events under Regulation 2026 have been operationally successful and this targeted refinement is part of the normal optimization process as the new framework is further validated under real-world conditions.” In short, there is every interest in making this new Formula 1 more and more compelling and, above all, palatable to the drivers who, in the end, are the real protagonists on the track.