How the five-week break changed Formula 1. Analysis

The main thing in the material:

• The five-week break was the largest intra—season break in Formula 1 since 1999, as all teams used it for large-scale car recycling.

• The FIA has changed the regulations for power plants in four areas

• McLaren promises a "brand new car" for the finals of the races in Miami and Canada, and Ferrari has changed almost half of the details of the car.

• The 19-year—old Antonelli's lead in the individual standings is no coincidence: the Italian had the best weekend of last year's Miami and is now returning with a nine-point advantage over Russell.

The main part of the paddock reached Miami with cars that have little in common with those that finished in Suzuka on March 29. The five—week break is the largest in-season downtime in Formula 1 since 1999. It was formed after the cancellation of the Grand Prix of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the situation in the Middle East. While the tracks were empty, engineers were rethinking concepts, and technical directors were negotiating with the International Automobile Federation (FIA) on amendments to the regulations. The discussion surrounding the new Miami Grand Prix has raised the key question of the season: can a pause turn the balance of power, which seemed unshakable after three dominant Mercedes victories? What this means for the teams, the pilots, and the championship itself is in the Izvestia article.

The "new championship" in Miami: how the five-week break changed Formula 1

Formula 1 returns with a "restart" after the longest intra-season break in several years. Mercedes had won all three races of the season and both races by this point. However, the situation is more complicated than it seems at first glance. Mercedes did not relax in the pause: the team used the additional weeks to fine-tune the chassis and prepare the upgrade package, which was under development even before the cancellation of the Middle Eastern stages.

While Mercedes was accumulating data on what was already working, competitors were working on what might have worked differently.

McLaren CEO Andrea Stella confirmed that the team is putting into operation a "brand new car" for the Miami and Canada race. Given the impressive pace of the team's development since 2023, competitors have every reason to worry. In 2024, it was in Miami that McLaren almost completely eliminated the gap from Red Bull in one weekend. This season, at the start of a completely new schedule, the pace of development should be even higher.

Ferrari, in turn, changed its approach to the concept. According to Motorsport IT, in Miami, the team will finally present the "completed" version of the 2026 car - technical director Loic Serra expects to demonstrate the "true potential" of the concept. The team changed almost half of the machine's parts compared to the Japanese stage.

Ferrari's main problem is a shortage of about 25 horsepower compared to Mercedes. This creates tremendous pressure on the aerodynamic department. A significant engine upgrade is not expected until July. On the set day in Monza, the team tested the updated Macarena wing, which amazed the rivals, but had never been used in sessions.

The situation is different for Red Bull. The decision to develop the 2025 car until the final of last season turned into an incomplete chassis in 2026: the RB22 car is difficult to drive, both drivers - Verstappen and debutant Isak Hajjar — cannot find a stable balance. Sixth place in the Constructors' Cup with a 119—point deficit to Mercedes is unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory for the three-time constructors' champion.

Williams remains the most significant development story in the peloton: the car exceeds the minimum weight limit by more than 20 kg. Supervisor James Vholes called Miami the closest realistic point for significant progress: every kilogram removed is directly converted during the lap.

What the FIA has changed: new regulations

Against this background, there is a fundamental difference between "car to Miami" and "car to Miami." Not just updates— but the FIA has changed the rules themselves.

In April, a series of meetings were held between the teams, the FIA and the power plant manufacturers. The changes affected four key areas. In qualifying, the maximum allowed recovery volume has been reduced from 8 MJ to 7 MJ in order to give pilots the opportunity to drive at the limit. The peak power of the superclipping has been increased from 250 to 350 kW, which reduces the recharge time and reduces the burden on energy management.

In racing conditions, the power of the "boost button" is limited to 150 kW in order to eliminate sudden speed differences between cars, similar to those that led to Oliver Burman's 50G overload collision in Japan.

The FIA also eliminated one of the most unexpected side effects of the new regulations: the energy management algorithm forced drivers to use a certain amount of power when accelerating out of corners. It was because of this that Charles Leclair lost time in qualifying several times. The changes sound like technical details, but for pilots, the difference is palpable physically. Cars in Miami will drive differently than in Japan. Exactly how much will become clear in the very first minutes of Friday practice.

What does this mean for the balance of power

The Formula 1 market is moving towards segmentation. The "first echelon" is being formed (teams with the resources to completely rethink the car (Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari)) and all the others who work point-by-point. The gap between them will grow not so much through points, but through the pace of development.: whoever makes the changes faster wins not the race, but the season.

The same logic works inside Mercedes itself. Kimi Antonelli won in China, becoming the second youngest winning driver in the history of Formula 1, and then won in Japan and became the youngest championship leader in the history of the series.

Russell, whom most analysts saw as the main contender for the title before the start of the season, looks outwardly unperturbed. Internally, he certainly understands what kind of opponent he is dealing with and how much he is growing in confidence. The gap in the individual standings is nine points in favor of Antonelli: 72 versus 63.

It is noteworthy that in last year's race in Miami, Antonelli showed the best time in qualifying for the sprint and finished third in the main qualifying, losing pole position by only 0.067 seconds. It was an impressive result for the car he struggled with last season.