George Russell reportedly raised concerns ahead of the rule change (Image: Getty)
Ferrari are set to block other teams from changing a new start sequence that was introduced ahead of the 2026 sequence, after the team found a workaround to give them a possible edge.
The first test in Bahrain included a simulated start, which almost resulted in Alpine’s Franco Colapinto crashing as he tried to conduct burnouts. It led to drivers not proceeding in grid order.
McLaren are one of the teams who will now reportedly call for changes to the start procedures in a meeting next week. The team is expected to cite safety concerns to try and bring about change.
However, they are set to face opposition from Ferarri, whose smaller turbo means that they don’t have to rev so much at the start, and therefore gives them an advantage that could benefit Lewis Hamilton in the new season. It’s suggested that the team found the workaround due to spotting the problem earlier than others.
Speaking on the Race F1 podcast, journalist Jon Noble said that Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur and Mercedes driver George Russell were the first to raise the issue, with the team now finding a workaround.
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Lewis Hamilton could benefit from a new starting procedure (Image: Getty)
« 12 months ago, [Vasseur] was in a Commission meeting and said, ‘We’re going to have a problem in ’26, we should do something’,” he said.
« So he committed to a design that covers this problem, likely a smaller turbo. »
Fellow journalist Ed Straw then added: « George Russell suggested [as much]. He’s not the Ferrari designer or Ferrari driver, but there’s widespread belief that that’s the case.
« They’ve committed to the smaller turbo, their start issue is sorted.
« Suddenly when it comes back and the others say, ‘We have got a problem with the starts’, he brought this up six months previously, why should he vote in favour? »
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Speaking on the matter around the narrow turbo window and the start, Russell told journalists: « Well, at the moment, we’re just sort of going through our procedure, and I’m only doing my launch when I’m in a given window,
« But we are very conscious that for a race start, you go when the lights are out, you don’t go when your specific turbo is in the right window.
« So as I said, I think we have made progress. I don’t know what it’s like for the other manufacturers.
« I think Ferrari seem to be able to run higher gears than other manufacturers, which probably suggests they’ve got a smaller turbo than other manufacturers. So maybe they’re in a slightly easier position for their race starts.
« But, as long as there’s not a safety concern… There probably was in Barcelona, but as I said, we have made big progress since Barcelona in that specific regard. »
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