2026 Rules Guide

Parc Fermé

After qualifying ends, teams are locked out of making major changes to their cars. Here's what that means and why it matters.

FP1
Free Practice
FP2
Free Practice
Q1–Q3
Qualifying
🔒
Parc Fermé Begins
Night
Car in parc fermé
Race
Full distance
🔓
Parc Fermé Ends

Allowed During Parc Fermé

Change tyres
To a different compound if conditions change overnight (e.g. wet to dry)
Change front wing angle
Minor adjustments within defined limits only
Repair damage
Damage from accidents — but only like-for-like replacements
Fuel the car
Top up to race fuel load
Change brake pads
If considered necessary for safety

Not Allowed During Parc Fermé

Change the engine setup
Power unit maps are locked after qualifying
Change suspension geometry
Ride height and spring rates must stay the same
Change aerodynamic settings
Wing angles (beyond the allowed window) are fixed
Change the gearbox ratios
Ratios are locked for the whole event
Swap parts between cars
No sharing components between teammates

More 2026 rules guides

Sprint weekends, penalties, and the full regulation set.

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