Formula 1 is considering shortening certain races next year as part of a compromise to push through power unit changes.
The FIA is keen to make further changes to the cars for next year’s championship after alterations this year were met with backlash.
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Issues still persist after the first batch of changes were introduced for the Miami Grand Prix earlier this month.
But team principals could need convincing if they are to accept new engine rules, and to persuade them the FIA could offer shorter races.
“We have already spoken and come to an agreement, certainly at team principal level, that if anyone wanted to carry their chassis over and that wasn’t quite big enough to do a 310 km race, then we would look at selective races and, of course, only where absolutely necessary by shortening them by maybe one or two laps, limiting laps to the grid to one,” Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane said.
“So, of course, maximising any potential race length, but that’s already in place and ready to go.”
While the FIA appears to have resolved the issue of the 50/50 engine split between combustion and electrical energy by moving to a 60/40 split, some hardware issues remain.
A key problem is cost, with teams facing a $10 million increase in order to change the current hardware in place.
F1’s governing body has already faced opposition in the hardware department from Ferrari, Audi and Honda, so will not have the supermajority required to fast-track changes.
That is why they may have to make the compromise to reduce the length of some races.
Talks were also held at the Canadian Grand Prix to determine how to achieve that 60-40 split and when, with 2027 car designs already underway.
