Formula 1 · Sporting rules 2026
Race weekends, qualifying, starts, tyres, safety cars and race procedures.
Rules
Weekend and race distance
Practice, Sprint weekends and scheduled race length.
Qualifying
Knockout sessions and the rule for admission to the race.
Driving and flags
Track limits, safe rejoining and yellow-flag obligations.
Pit lane
Speed limits, safe releases and refuelling restrictions.
Penalties
Stewards’ decisions and the difference between time and pit-lane penalties.
Scrutineering and parc fermé
Technical checks and limits on changing the car.
Starts
Formation laps, lights and departures from the pit lane.
Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car
Neutralising the race without treating both systems as identical.
Red flags and restarts
Suspension, permitted repairs and returning to competition.
Finish and classification
The chequered flag, lap count and post-race controls.
Practice and qualifying procedures
Interruptions, obstruction and assistance in lap-time sessions.
Tyres and compound use
Allocation, returns and race use depend on the session and weather.
Active aerodynamics and Overtake
Wing activation and electrical assistance follow separate permissions.
Car and power unit limits
Car availability, sealed components and season allowances are controlled.
Personnel and curfews
Operational staffing and restricted periods limit work at the circuit.
Media activities and ceremonies
Drivers and teams have scheduled public and media obligations.
Testing outside competitions
Different car and activity categories have different testing permissions.