Losing \u201csix or seven\u201d places off the line could become the norm in 2026, with Oscar Piastri urging Formula 1 to act before Melbourne.<\/p>\n
Launches emerged as a major contentious topic last week after the drivers practised race starts in the Bahrain pit lane, before lining up on the grid at the end of Day Three.<\/p>\n
McLaren driver urges F1 to act before Melbourne over turbo lag fears<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n The launches left many worried that there would be chaos off the line in Australia, with George Russell saying the starts are \u201cnot straightforward\u201d while Esteban Ocon claimed \u201cthe turbo lag is a very big topic\u201d.<\/p>\n Pierre Gasly told fans to watch this space.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I advise you to be sitting with your TV on in Australia, because [it] could be one that everybody remembers,\u201d urged the Alpine driver.<\/p>\n The issue with the race starts stems from a key change to the engines with the removal of the MGU-H. That means it takes far longer for the drivers to get their cars into the ideal configuration for a race start.<\/p>\n The MGU-H helped cover up the turbo lag across the lower rev range, and without it, the cars are taking longer to prepare for launch than they did in the MGU-H era.<\/p>\n Piastri<\/a> believes it is an issue that could cost the drivers several places off the line.<\/p>\n More on F1 2026 race start concerns<\/p>\n Safety concerns trigger calls for urgent change to F1 2026 race starts<\/a><\/p>\n George Russell suggests Ferrari may hold edge in F1 2026 race starts<\/a><\/p>\n Much like the anti-stall that occurs in Formula 2 races, or even to a driver like Piastri at last year\u2019s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the turbo lag this season could be detrimental at the start of a grand prix.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone\u2019s going to need different things for the start, and to be completely honest with you, I\u2019m not sure any of us know exactly what we need yet,\u201d the Australian racer told PlanetF1.com and other media.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ve probably got rough ideas, I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll find a way to do a proper start.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just that the difference between a good and bad start last year was you got a bit of wheelspin or you had a bad reaction time.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year, it could be effectively like an F2 race where you almost go into anti-stall or something. You\u2019re not just losing five metres or so, you could be losing six or seven spots if it goes wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n The McLaren driver has urged Formula 1 to address the situation, which is set to be one of the topics on the table at the upcoming F1 Commission meeting.<\/p>\n The FIA carried out a number of systems, processes and technical checks during the Bahrain test, and the matter is set to be discussed at the upcoming meeting.<\/p>\n \u201cStarts need to be addressed, because, probably as we\u2019ve all seen, it\u2019s a pretty complicated process now to have a safe start, let alone a competitive one,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s something that we\u2019ll talk about between now and Melbourne, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there\u2019s plenty of topics to address,\u201d he continued. \u201cStarts, overtaking.<\/p>\n \u201cOvertaking is certainly going to be different as well.\u201d<\/p>\n It is understood that Formula 1 will discuss the start light procedure, and that changes could include either a minimum time or a delay to the minimum time for the final car to form up on the grid.<\/p>\n Piastri\u2019s teammate and reigning world champion Lando Norris also voiced his concerns about this year\u2019s launches.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s more tricky the starts, because of the turbo and all of these things,\u201d the Briton explained, \u201cand because of the lack of battery that you have over a lap.<\/p>\n \u201cSo yeah, certainly a bigger challenge, more demanding on the driver to kind of get things right.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional reporting by Thomas Maher and Mat Coch<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n