BREAKING: FIA Announces Change to F1 Start Procedure At Australian Grand Prix… Read more
FIA Announces Change to F1 Start Procedure At Australian Grand Prix
By Hugo Harvey
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has confirmed a significant change to the Formula 1 start procedure ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, following safety concerns raised by several teams on the grid.
The decision comes after issues were observed during pre-season testing, where multiple cars struggled to launch consistently off the grid due to characteristics of the new 2026 power unit regulations. The opening race of the campaign will take place at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, marking the first competitive outing for the sport’s dramatically revised cars and engines.
With the introduction of the 2026 technical rules, Formula 1 has entered a new era of hybrid power. While the 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid engine remains, the architecture has changed significantly, most notably through the removal of the MGU-H energy recovery system. The MGU-H previously helped manage turbocharger speed and reduce lag by harvesting energy from the exhaust gases.
Without that component, teams have once again had to contend with turbo lag — the delay between pressing the throttle and receiving full turbocharged power. During practice starts and simulation runs in Bahrain testing, several cars were seen remaining stationary on the grid momentarily while their turbos spooled up.
With a full field of 22 cars preparing to launch simultaneously under the new regulations, the situation quickly raised concerns among teams and drivers about the risk of collisions at the start. If some cars accelerate significantly later than others, drivers behind may struggle to react in time, potentially creating dangerous chain reactions before the first corner.
In response to the concerns, the FIA began trialling an extended start procedure during testing. After evaluating the results, the governing body has now confirmed that a revised process will be implemented for the race weekend in Melbourne.
According to the official race director’s competition notes released ahead of the event, the start sequence will now include an additional pre-start phase designed to give teams more time to prepare their cars for launch.
The new procedure states that once all cars have returned to the grid following the formation lap, the starting grid light panels will flash blue for five seconds. During this period, the information panel on the start gantry will display a message reading “Pre-Start.”
Only after that phase is completed will the traditional starting light sequence begin, as defined in the FIA Formula 1 sporting regulations.
The aim of this adjustment is to ensure a safer and more controlled start, allowing drivers and engineers additional time to stabilise their systems before the race begins.
The issue of launch performance has already highlighted differences in how teams have approached the new power unit design. Ferrari appears to have adapted particularly well, with their car demonstrating extremely strong starts during practice sessions in Bahrain. Observers noted that the Italian team’s launch performance looked notably sharper than several of their competitors.
Other teams, including McLaren and Red Bull Racing, have been working to fine-tune their systems to minimise turbo lag during the critical moments when the lights go out.
In addition to the revised start procedure, the FIA has also addressed concerns about the use of “straight mode,” a new driver-adjustable bodywork configuration introduced for the 2026 season. Straight mode reduces aerodynamic drag and increases efficiency when accelerating towards top speed.
Drivers had initially been able to activate this feature immediately after the start, but that possibility raised alarm among several competitors.
Oscar Piastri, the Australian driver racing for McLaren, described the idea of straight mode being used instantly off the line as a “recipe for disaster.” The concern centred on the potential for extremely rapid acceleration differences between cars as they sprint toward the first corner.
To address this, the FIA has now confirmed that straight mode will not be available immediately after the start.
Instead, the race director’s notes state that following any standing start, driver-adjustable bodywork in straight mode will only be enabled after Turn 1. This restriction is intended to prevent excessive speed differentials during the crucial first few seconds of the race.
The changes underline how teams and regulators are still adapting to the dramatic shift introduced by the 2026 rules. With new power units, revised aerodynamics, and fresh technological concepts entering the sport simultaneously, early-season adjustments are widely expected.
As the grid prepares to line up in Melbourne for the first race of the year, all eyes will be on how the new systems perform under real race conditions. The updated start procedure represents the FIA’s first major intervention of the season, aimed at ensuring that Formula 1’s new era begins as safely as possible.
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