P1racenews AI automatic summary:
There have been a lot of concerns about how race starts will be with 2026 F1 cars
Williams Formula 1 driver Alex Albon believes the current start “chaos” in pre-season testing is not as bad as it looks due to the new power units introduced for 2026. The new power units have made start procedures more complex with drivers needing to consider turbo lag. Practice starts during testing have appeared chaotic, especially for teams with Ferrari power units having an early advantage. Discussions have taken place in the F1 Commission regarding changes to regulations for safety concerns, but no immediate changes are expected. Albon has downplayed fears about race starts, mentioning that the chaos is influenced by the worn tires used for practice starts after long runs. Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg sees the starting procedure as a significant difference with the new power units, attributing the current chaos to lack of experience. Hulkenberg believes more refining is needed in this area as the new generation of power units presents new challenges compared to the previous smooth ones.
