FIA to trial begin process tweaks at Bahrain F1 take a look at

Components 1’s governing physique the FIA will experiment with tweaked begin process timings at Bahrain’s second pre-season take a look at amid security considerations.

The FIA will trial an extended begin process on the finish of every day’s operating in Bahrain pre-season testing to alleviate workforce considerations.

F1’s 2026 guidelines have positioned a a lot greater emphasis on electrical vitality regenerated below braking, whereas taking away the MGU-H system used between 2014 and 2025. The removing of that system means drivers at the moment are having to rev up the V6 combustion engine for round 10 seconds to spool up their turbochargers firstly of the race, resulting in experiments with laborious procedures to make a clear getaway from the grid.

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Final Friday, McLaren workforce boss Andrea Stella proposed adjustments to the beginning process, permitting drivers extra time to line up on the grid and spool up their turbos.

It is a suggestion that was given the chilly shoulder by Ferrari, which Motorsport.com understands inquired with the FIA about that precise problem over the course of 2025 and was instructed the procedures would stay unchanged. In consequence, Ferrari is believed to have designed its turbo in such a method that it might cut back the period of time it must be introduced as much as the precise increase stage.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures

To assist alleviate the state of affairs with out committing to drastic adjustments to the beginning sequence, the FIA will trial completely different timings on the finish of every day’s operating in Bahrain’s pre-season take a look at, so it will probably collect information and suggestions to make an knowledgeable resolution earlier than Melbourne. The problem was mentioned in Wednesday morning’s F1 Fee assembly in Bahrain, presided by the FIA’s head of single-seaters Nikolas Tombazis and F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali.

“There have been constructive talks and proposals centred on the race begin process through the fee assembly,” the FIA said. “In consequence, additional analysis of updates to race methods and on-car administration will probably be undertaken through the present Bahrain take a look at.

Stella additionally ran the alarm bells on security considerations over excessive closing speeds when vehicles run out of vitality on the straights, but it surely has been determined to not take any rapid motion earlier than the beginning of the season and as a substitute collect extra proof over the primary few race weekends of 2026.

“It was agreed that no rapid main regulatory adjustments had been required provided that preliminary proof and suggestions stays immature and that untimely change carried the danger of elevated instability forward of the primary race,” the FIA added. “Additional opinions will probably be carried out as soon as extra information turns into out there.”

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was eager to shrug these considerations off. “It is undoubtedly not harmful,” he stated. “I feel we must always in all probability take that connotation away from it, as a result of it is only a completely different process.

“It is only a longer process than it has been previously. If proper now you place the 5 lights up, we’d all nonetheless be standing there when the lights went out for a bit bit longer. However you may nonetheless draw back with out the turbo going. It is simply that you just in all probability will anti-stall a few instances. So maybe the anti-stall is one thing that perhaps is a possible for some individuals. However I do not assume that it is harmful.”

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

Picture by: Mark Sutton / Components 1 by way of Getty Pictures

Valtteri Bottas, who additionally has a Ferrari engine behind his Cadillac, stated the one actual headache considerations drivers who begin in the back of the grid and due to this fact get a lot much less time to organize the beginning process, a place the Finn will probably be in with the start-up workforce.

“Truthfully, I do not assume it is extra harmful than earlier than,” Bottas stated. “The primary distinction is with holding revs [for longer]. And I feel we have to determine one thing for that, as a result of my solely concern with that’s like if you’re in the back of the grid, the sunshine will already begin going and you will not have sufficient time to get the turbo spinning earlier than the lights go off.

“That is clearly solely a problem for the drivers within the again. However aside from that, I feel we’ll discover options, and I do not see any ingredient of hazard in simply having to carry revs for longer.”

Pictures from Bahrain Pre-Season Testing – Day 4

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing