Super Formula has adjusted its format for the 2026 season, going back to uniform distances across double-header race weekends with fixed pit windows.
The Japanese single-seater series took the unorthodox step of varying the lap count between Saturday and Sunday races last year, while also abolishing the pit window for Sunday contests except for the single-race events at Sugo and Autopolis.
However, for 2026, both races on each of the five double-header weekends that feature on the seven-event schedule will be held over the same lap count, run to the standard race distances that have been used for most of the post-refuelling era.
At the same time, the pit window will be used for every race, but instead of being set on lap 10 across the board, it will now be adjusted according to the track distance.
JRP President Yoshihisa Ueno told Motorsport: “At the time we adopted more double-header races, some of our staff expressed the view that Saturday and Sunday races would end up being similar if we used the exact same format. In reality though, we found that the two races were often quite different, and so we are sure now that even if we use the same format we won’t get two races exactly the same.
“Regarding the pit window, we also have to consider the fact that we have more one-car teams this year, which don’t have to worry about double-stacking their cars. We felt the races with no pit window could give them an advantage if some kind of trouble occurs [bringing out the safety car], so in the interests of fairness, we made the change.”
Ren Sato, PONOS NAKAJIMA RACING
Photo by: Masahide Kamio
One other format change for this year is that the two single-header races at Sugo and Autopolis will now feature a three-stage knockout qualifying system. Super Formula previously used an F1-style Q1-Q2-Q3 method for determining the grid for every race, but adopted the current Q1-Q2 system, with Q1 being split into two groups, for 2022.
For Sugo and Autopolis, the fastest five drivers from the 12 which advance to Q2 (an unchanged number from last year despite the increase to 24 cars) will fight for pole position in Q3, with points awarded on a 3-2-1 basis to the top three as previously.
It was also confirmed by Super Formula on Tuesday ahead of this week’s Suzuka pre-season test that the series will stick with fuel flow of 90kg/h.
The U-turn follows negative feedback from drivers after a temporary drop to 88kg/h for last December’s post-season test at Suzuka, which led to an increase in lap times of around one second and lower straight line speeds in the order of 5-10km/h.
Super Formula 2026 race distances
- Rounds 1 & 2: Motegi 37 laps (177.7km) – Pit window: Lap 10
- Round 3: Autopolis 41 laps (191.6km) – Pit window: Lap 11
- Rounds 4 & 5: Suzuka 31 laps (180km) – Pit window: Lap 8
- Rounds 6 & 7: Fuji 41 laps (187.1km) – Pit window: Lap 11
- Round 8: Sugo 51 laps (182.9km) – Pit window: Lap 13
- Rounds 9 & 10: Fuji 41 laps (187.1km) – Pit window: Lap 11
- Rounds 11 & 12: Suzuka 31 laps (180km) – Pit window: Lap 8
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Team
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com
