Lewis Hamilton slams F1's shorter races plan: 'Makes absolutely no sense'

Lewis Hamilton has slammed F1's decision to shorten races by 15km from 2027, saying it "makes absolutely no sense" and arguing the sport should be making races longer, not shorter.

Why it matters:

The change, forced by tweaks to engine regulations, will cut the physical and strategic challenge of grands prix. Hamilton warns that races are already becoming less demanding, with one-stop strategies becoming the norm.

The details:

• Races will drop from 305km to 290km (about 2-3 laps) to account for higher fuel consumption from revised power unit rules.
• The FIA wants to avoid costly chassis redesigns for bigger fuel tanks.
• Hamilton said he had not been briefed on the reasoning, and pointed to tyre strategy: "We have a lot of races where it's only a one stop. It's not particularly challenging."
• The 2026 rules targeted a 50/50 engine split but ended up at 53/47. Tweaks for 2027 (58/42) and 2028 (60/40) boost combustion power, burning more fuel.

What's next:

Hamilton's stance adds to growing driver discontent over F1's direction. With the 2027 change already confirmed, the debate over race distance looks set to continue.