2026 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX<br>## Document 18 - Race Director's Competition Notes V2<br><br>From: The FIA Formula 1 Race Director<br>To: All Teams, All Officials<br>Date: 23 October 2026<br><br>> Note: Changes are highlighted in magenta in the original document.<br><br>### 1. Laps during Qualifying Session and Reconnaissance Lap(s)<br>- Exceeding the maximum time from the Second Safety Car Line to the First Safety Car Line may be deemed unnecessarily slow.<br>- Teams and drivers will be informed of the max time after FP2.<br><br>### 2. Lapping during the Race<br>- Drivers must allow faster cars past at the first available opportunity.<br>- Pre-warning: Marshalling system gives pre-warning at 3.0s.<br>- Blue Lights & Flags: Shown when the faster car is within 1.2s.<br><br>### 3. Parc Fermé<br>- Access for cooling fans and official work via the designated route only.<br><br>### 4. Marshalling System<br>- Pit Entry: Subject to sector yellow/double yellow until passing the blue line.<br>- Pit Exit: Subject to sector yellow/double yellow of the emerging sector after passing the blue line.<br><br>### 5. Support Races Team Barrier Placement<br>- Barrier placement: No more than 8 meters from the garage.<br>- Pit stop gantry arms must be moved back during support activities.<br>- Crews and trolleys released into pit lane no earlier than 30 minutes prior to pit exit.<br><br>### 6. Practice Starts<br>- Carried out in the merging lane to the left of the fast lane during FP and reconnaissance laps.<br>- FP2 end-of-session practice starts allow two further laps.<br>- No practice starts during Qualifying.<br><br>### 7. Pit Lane Fast Lane & Inner Lane<br>- Cars must blend into the fast lane safely without impeding others.<br>- Overtaking in the fast/working lane is prohibited except for stopped cars with mechanical problems.<br><br>### 8. Pit Entry and Exit Lines<br>- Drivers must follow Appendix L procedures.<br>- White flag on LHS in pit entry road indicates an incident warning.<br><br>### 9. Stopping the Qualifying Session<br>- Interruption with less than 95 seconds remaining will not be resumed.<br><br>### 10. ERS Hazard Status<br>- Relevant team must send mechanics to race control door area after the session.<br><br>### 11. Leaving the Garage<br>- No cars may enter pit lane until 5 minutes before scheduled/announced start time.<br><br>### 12. Removing Cars from the Grid<br>- Gates adjacent to grid positions 2, 14, and 28.<br><br>### 13. Race Suspension or Starting Procedure Suspension<br>- Cars stopped in the fast lane; first car near pit exit lights.<br>- Safety Car Resumption Point: Turn 11.<br><br>### 14. Grid Panel Placement<br>- Left-hand side of the grid.<br><br>### 15. Grid Procedure<br>- Grid defined from front of box #1 to the finish line.<br><br>### 16. Light Panels<br>- Panel 18 will be mirrored on panel 17 for incidents.<br><br>### 17. Track Limits<br>- Failure to negotiate Turn 20 during LTCS may result in lap time and immediately following lap time invalidation.<br><br>### 18. Safety Car Procedures<br>- Waved yellow flags and SC boards will NOT be used.<br>- Messages "SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED" and "SAFETY CAR LIGHTS OFF" used instead.<br><br>### 19. Changes to the Circuit<br>- Resurfaced from entry of turn 9 to entry of turn 11.<br>- Track surface smoothing at turns 12 and 19.<br>- New TecPro barriers at turns 1 and 6, adjusted kerbs and blue lines.<br><br>### 20. Free Practice Collective Test Items<br>- FP1 & FP2: "Low Grip Conditions" message at the end of sessions.<br>- Throttle lifting tests and Turn 15 low-speed test (approx 35 km/h for 3 seconds) during FP1 in-lap.