Formula 1 heads into the Miami Grand Prix with a significant late adjustment from the FIA, one that could play an important role in shaping the competitive order—especially for teams such as McLaren and Mercedes. With the championship returning after an unusually long five-week break, the governing body has decided to extend the only practice session of the sprint weekend from 60 minutes to 90 minutes. While that may sound like a modest tweak, in modern Formula 1—particularly under the new 2026 regulations—it is anything but minor.
The Miami weekend already carries extra significance because it is a sprint event. That means teams normally have just one hour of practice before cars are placed under parc fermé conditions for sprint qualifying. Under ordinary circumstances, that limited preparation window can leave engineers scrambling to gather enough data on setup, tyre behavior, and aerodynamic balance. By adding an extra 30 minutes, the FIA has effectively handed teams a much more valuable opportunity to fine-tune their cars before competitive running begins.
This decision comes at a crucial point in the season. The cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix created an unexpected gap in the calendar, leaving teams without racing action throughout April. That extended pause gave constructors more time than usual to develop upgrades, revise components, and better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their 2026 machinery. As a result, Miami is expected to serve as a de facto second season opener, with several teams arriving with substantial changes to their cars.
No team is likely to benefit more from the extended practice session than McLaren. The reigning constructors’ champions are bringing what team principal Andrea Stella has described as an “entirely new” car, particularly from an aerodynamic standpoint. Rather than a minor update package, this is effectively a major evolution of the MCL40, with substantial revisions intended to improve overall performance and close the gap to the dominant Mercedes squad. Integrating such a comprehensive upgrade package would have been extremely challenging in a standard one-hour practice session. The extra half-hour provides McLaren with precious additional time to validate simulations, assess balance, and optimize setup before the weekend intensifies.
For McLaren, this could be the difference between immediately unlocking the potential of the upgrade package and spending much of the weekend chasing the right setup. Sprint weekends are notoriously unforgiving when major updates are introduced. Teams have limited chances to react if their initial setup proves flawed. With only one practice session before competitive action begins, every lap is vital. The FIA’s change reduces that pressure and gives McLaren a better chance of extracting the full benefit of its ambitious redesign.
Mercedes, meanwhile, enters Miami in a position of strength. The Silver Arrows have won all three races so far this season and currently occupy the top two spots in the drivers’ championship. However, the additional practice time may be just as important for them. The team has excelled under the new 2026 regulations, but Miami will also be the first race to feature several key rule refinements aimed at addressing concerns raised during the opening rounds.
Those regulatory changes focus heavily on energy deployment and drivability. Drivers had voiced concerns over excessive energy harvesting, inconsistent power delivery, and the phenomenon known as “superclipping,” where battery deployment is exhausted before the end of a straight. The FIA has responded by adjusting the energy management parameters, reducing maximum recharge levels while increasing peak deployment power. The goal is to allow drivers to spend more time pushing flat out, rather than constantly managing battery state.
These refinements are expected to alter how teams approach both qualifying and race strategy. For Mercedes, whose power unit has been the benchmark so far, the challenge will be adapting quickly to the revised operating parameters while maintaining its competitive edge. The additional 30 minutes in practice offers a vital opportunity to recalibrate energy deployment strategies, refine software settings, and ensure optimal integration between chassis and power unit systems.
Safety has also been a major driver behind the FIA’s intervention. Concerns intensified after Oliver Bearman’s high-speed crash at Suzuka, an incident that highlighted the risks associated with the aggressive energy-harvesting characteristics of the new cars. The revised rules are designed to reduce abrupt speed differentials between cars, particularly when one driver is harvesting energy while another is at full attack. In theory, this should make on-track racing safer and more predictable.
Wet-weather performance has also been addressed. Intermediate tyre blanket temperatures have been increased to improve initial grip, while ERS deployment will be more restricted in slippery conditions to enhance car control. Given the unpredictable weather often associated with Miami, those changes could become highly relevant if rain affects the weekend. Teams will undoubtedly welcome the extra practice time to evaluate these revised operating parameters in varying conditions.
Another intriguing aspect is how the extra session may influence the competitive hierarchy. McLaren is not alone in bringing upgrades. Most leading teams are expected to arrive in Miami with significant developments, having used the extended spring break to accelerate their programs. As Stella himself noted, the real question is not whether teams have improved, but which team has improved the most.
That creates a fascinating dynamic. Mercedes has enjoyed a commanding start to the season, but McLaren showed promising pace in Japan, where Oscar Piastri finished a close second. If McLaren’s new package delivers as expected, the additional practice time could help the team hit the ground running and mount a serious challenge from the outset. Miami may therefore become the first true test of whether Mercedes can maintain its dominance against a revitalized McLaren.
The extended practice session also offers strategic benefits beyond outright pace. Teams will have more time to evaluate tyre degradation, gather long-run data, and simulate race conditions. On a sprint weekend, such information is often limited, making tyre management something of an educated guess. Better preparation could prove decisive in both the sprint race and the Grand Prix itself.
Ultimately, the FIA’s late decision reflects the unique circumstances surrounding this year’s Miami Grand Prix. A long break, sweeping technical updates, evolving regulations, and the constraints of the sprint format have combined to create an exceptional scenario. Rather than forcing teams to navigate those challenges with minimal preparation, the governing body has opted for a pragmatic solution.
For McLaren, it is an invaluable opportunity to properly debut what could be a transformative upgrade package. For Mercedes, it is a chance to consolidate its advantage while adapting to important regulatory changes. And for Formula 1 fans, it raises the prospect of an even more competitive and unpredictable weekend.
Miami was already shaping up to be one of the most important races of the early season. With this late FIA adjustment, its significance has only grown. The extra 30 minutes of practice may seem like a small change on paper, but in the finely balanced world of Formula 1, it could have a major impact on the battle at the front.
