The FIA has clarified how much energy drivers can actually recharge per lap at the Miami Grand Prix.

Changes to the regulations ahead during the April break suggested that limit would be reduced, however the FIA has confirmed to PlanetF1.com that drivers will be able to recharge up to 9 MJ in practice and the race, and 8 MJ in qualifying.

FIA clarifies Miami Grand Prix energy recharge limits

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google for news you can trust.

During the extended break, the FIA confirmed a number of changes to the regulations aimed at improving the flat-out nature of qualifying and addressing a number of safety issues.

A release issued at the time noted “a reduction in maximum permitted recharge from 8MJ to 7MJ, aimed at reducing excessive harvesting and encouraging more consistent flat-out driving. This change targets a maximum superclip duration reduced to approximately 2-4 seconds per lap.”

In addition, super clips would be increased from 250kW to 350kW in an effort to reduce their duration.

A Power Unit Information document issued to teams on Thursday in Miami outlined that there is no change to the maximum recharge per lap this weekend, which appeared at odds with the FIA statement.

The document outlines that, in the sprint and race, 9 MJ is available with Overtake active, else drivers have access to 8.5 MJ of recharge per lap. In qualifying that is 8 MJ, and 9 MJ during practice.

Approached for clarification by PlanetF1.com, the FIA has confirmed that the rule change has not been a blanket reduction in the maximum recharge, but the ability for officials to lower the permitted maximum to 7 MJ at some events.

For Miami, with only around two seconds of super clipping expected over the course of a lap, officials opted to leave maximum recharge unchanged. At other venues, that figure can be reduced where super clipping would be more invasive.

That tweak is complemented by changes to deployment, with zones now defined where drivers are allowed to use 350 kW of energy, and others where they can only use a maximum of 250 kW.

In Miami, the section from Turn 1 to Turn 8, the sinuous opening sector of the lap, will see drivers limited to 250 kW of additional power.

On the run to Turn 11 they’ll have access to 350 kW before the system reverts to 250 kW through the twisty complex that leads onto the back straight, where they’ll again have 350 kW available.

For Miami, that is the most notable change, with the maximum recharge remaining unchanged from the opening two events of the season.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read Next: Ferrari top upgrade list as new parts revealed for the Miami Grand Prix