Starting trouble - Why Verstappen could face a major problem in 2026

Watching at the end of the pit lane, where the F1 drivers practiced their starts during the test days, the difference from last year is clearly noticeable. Drivers often remain stationary for a good 20 seconds while flooring the throttle to build up revs (also known as revving). As fantastic as it sounds—especially given the louder and higher-pitched note produced by the new engines—it’s clear that starts are already a sore point.

The start procedure has become more complicated—and thus less predictable. Drivers must hold the revs longer before full power becomes available. That can make a big difference when the lights go out: Formula 1 drivers who don’t yet have their engine’s full power at their disposal may get off the line more slowly than others. Most drivers therefore agree that the first Grands Prix of the season—especially the season-opener in Melbourne—will have a chaotic start.

This was clearly evident during the final practice start on the grid on Friday, which descended into chaos. Several drivers were still stationary while others had to steer around the slower cars, and Franco Colapinto only just managed to keep his Alpine out of the wall before launching from his grid spot.

Pierre Gasly advises everyone to be glued to their screens for the first start of the year in Australia. Asked by GPblog what he expects from the starts in the first races of the season, a telling smile appears on his face. “Well, I advise you to be sitting with your TV on in Australia, because [it] could be one that everybody remembers,” says the Alpine driver.

Charles Leclerc also sees a lot of uncertainty around the starts. According to the Ferrari driver, it’s impossible in a simulation to fully predict what happens when twenty cars launch at the same time. “Yes, I expect some chaos,” he says answering a question from GPblog.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella also points to safety risks. “I have three elements that in terms of racing I think deserve quite a lot of attention. One is the race start,” he says. According to the Italian, cars must be prevented from leaving the line sluggishly because the engine isn’t ready yet.

Where starts in Formula 1 are mainly about clutch, traction, and reaction, an extra factor will soon be added: getting the turbo in the optimal window at the right time. That’s done by keeping the revs high beforehand, but in practice that process is taking longer than expected.

Valtteri Bottas describes how tricky that is, as revs don’t always match the perfect revs for the start. In other words, drivers have to apply throttle to get the turbo up to speed while simultaneously maintaining the ideal launch rpm. That requires a completely different approach from what they’re used to.

The Finn stresses to GPblog that everyone is still in a learning phase in this area and expects improvements in time. “So for now, first of all, we need to stay on the whole revs for a long time, almost 10 seconds to get the turbo spinning properly.”

Only when the turbo is up to speed does the extra power arrive. “And when it starts to come, then, of course, you get more revs and you've got to adjust your throttle. But these things, we will find solutions. It will become more consistent.”

It’s precisely that timing that could cause problems. After all, the lights don’t go out at the exact moment the turbo is fully ready. If you start building revs too early, you lose control of the launch. If you start too late, you lack power when everyone pulls away. Bottas is particularly concerned about the back of the grid and whether those drivers will have enough time to get the turbo spooled when the lights go out, but the practice start on the grid showed that it’s going to be difficult not just for those at the back, but across the entire grid.