First it was compression ratios, now it’s begin procedures. A second row has damaged out on the eve of the 2026 season regarding Formulation 1’s controversial new energy models, with Ferrari group seemingly on one aspect of the divide and the remainder of the grid on the opposite.
The difficulty this time surrounds race begins, with fears that they may very well be a whole shambles this 12 months. There have been chaotic scenes throughout pre-season testing in Bahrain final week, the place plenty of automobiles remained stationary on the grid throughout observe begins.
The elimination of the MGU-H for this season – a tool which converts exhaust gasoline warmth into electrical power – makes begins way more of a faff as drivers should now rev their engines for at the least 10 seconds as a way to spool the turbo earlier than a launch. Timing it mistaken might both trigger a sluggish getaway or put the automobile into anti-stall, leaving a driver stationary on the grid.
Commercial
Loads of groups and drivers have voiced security considerations, with McLaren group principal Andrea Stella final week calling for “obligatory tweaks” to the beginning procedures as a way to keep away from probably catastrophic collisions.
Alex Brundle, the driver-turned-pundit and son of F1 commentary nice Martin, turned the most recent so as to add his voice to the talk on Monday when he wrote on X: “The good factor to do is step in on these Grand Prix begin protocols. It’s a pure security concern. Sitting on the grid stationary, ready for the unsighted driver from P20 to hit you. Is among the scariest issues in racing.”
The difficulty is about to be mentioned at Wednesday’s F1 Fee assembly in Bahrain, the place the ultimate take a look at of pre-season will get underneath means.
Because it stands, the process is that when the ultimate automobile involves a cease of their grid field, the primary pink mild of the five-light begin sequence illuminates. The remainder of the lights illuminate at one-second intervals over the following 4 seconds, earlier than the lights extinguish after a randomly generated size of time to begin the race. However Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas has already highlighted that for the again markers the present mild sequence doesn’t enable sufficient time to get the turbo, or, extra particularly, the system ready for the beginning.
Commercial
One suggestion subsequently is to introduce a 10-second delay or, extra particularly, a 10-second “spool up” interval.
Nonetheless, it has emerged in latest days that Ferrari have already blocked one proposal to alter the beginning procedures and could also be inclined to take action once more. In accordance with , it’s because they really feel everybody was nicely conscious of the challenges posed by turbo lag in 2026 and designed their energy unit accordingly. Now that everybody else is experiencing issues, they’re unwilling to accommodate any adjustments.
Ferrari have blocked proposal to alter the beginning guidelines – Peter Fox/Getty Pictures)
Do Ferrari have a aggressive benefit? Presumably. “I believe Ferrari appear to have the ability to run increased gears than different producers, which most likely suggests they’ve obtained a smaller turbo than different producers,” George Russell famous in his media session in Bahrain on Friday. “So perhaps they’re in a barely simpler place for his or her race begins.”
Commercial
That may very well be excellent news for Hamilton, who’s desperately hoping for a greater second season in pink, having failed to complete on the rostrum in his first 12 months.
The reality is, although, even Ferrari’s begins are a little bit of a thriller, with one clip from final week’s Bahrain take a look at going viral. It featured F1TV’s presenter Sam Collins explaining to viewers how way more environment friendly Ferrari’s begins had been than others, just for Hamilton to drag up alongside him and rev his automobile for greater than 20 seconds earlier than pulling away. Collins urged this may occasionally have been carried out intentionally.
Both means, with the penalty for a sluggish begin this season probably extraordinarily pricey – McLaren’s Oscar Piastri predicted it might value a driver as much as “seven spots” – the battle traces have been drawn.
Commercial
Stella insisted final week that politics needs to be put to 1 aspect on this debate; that this was a security problem moderately than a aggressive problem. “I believe all groups and the FIA ought to play the sport of duty in terms of what is required when it comes to race begin process,” the Italian stated. “We’re not speaking about how briskly you’re in qualifying. We’re not speaking about what’s your race tempo. We’re speaking about security on the grid.”
Supporters of Ferrari, although, will say that is very a lot a aggressive problem. They level out that anybody uncomfortable ranging from the grid can all the time begin from the pitlane. Why ought to Ferrari be penalised for factoring turbo lag into their energy unit?
As with the compression ratio row – which has but to be resolved – this one seems to be set to be turbo-charged this week.
