The FIA has confirmed it will extend practice start trials during Bahrain pre-season testing after a successful initial run. McLaren expressed satisfaction with the adjustments, describing them as sensible. The changes address concerns over the 2026 power unit start procedures.
The FIA trialled a longer start procedure at the end of Wednesday's running during Bahrain pre-season testing, adding five seconds between the last car lining up on the grid and the start light sequence. This adjustment allows drivers more time to manually spool up their turbos by holding revs for over 10 seconds, a necessity under the 2026 regulations following the removal of the MGU-H component. The trial resulted from discussions at Wednesday morning's F1 Commission meeting and led to a smooth practice start without noteworthy hiccups.
Trials are set to continue after each half-day of running on Thursday and Friday, with a decision pending for the season opener in Australia. McLaren's technical director for performance, Mark Temple, welcomed the development. "There were some concerns that were voiced previously, so this was a kind of a chance to put a number of cars together to go through what we expect the start procedure to actually be," Temple said. "Certainly, from what I saw, it all looked pretty normal and pretty sensible. I think that kind of helps allay some of those fears... I think it's going to be perfectly reasonable."
The issue stems from the new power units, where drivers cannot use the MGU-K below 50km/h, requiring them to maintain turbo spin through engine revving to minimize lag. Temple explained: "With this year's cars, because you no longer have that electric motor, then you have to keep the turbo spinning, essentially by flowing gas through the turbo."
Not all teams see urgency for changes. Ferrari, which inquired about the procedure in 2025 and optimized its turbo design accordingly, views safety concerns as overstated. Lewis Hamilton, now with Ferrari, stated: "It's definitely not dangerous... It's just a longer procedure than it has been in the past." Max Verstappen of Red Bull added: "As for the start, that’s simply the choice you make with the turbo. We consciously made a certain decision there."
Valtteri Bottas of Cadillac noted a potential issue for rear-grid starters: "My only concern... is like when you're at the back of the grid, the light will already start going and you won't have enough time to get the turbo spinning." The FIA's approach seeks to balance preparation time without major regulatory shifts.
