P1racenews AI automatic summary:
It is an area of concern that the FIA is quickly looking to address.
The FIA has responded quickly to driver concerns regarding race starts for the upcoming season. Following the introduction of new power unit regulations, and after initial testing revealed potential issues, drivers expressed worries about the race starts. The new power units operate on a 50-50 split between combustion and electrical energy, requiring drivers to power up the turbo for a grand prix start, which can take several seconds. Concerns were raised about drivers at the back of the grid being at a disadvantage compared to those at the front. To address this, the FIA will test a different start procedure each day during the second week of pre-season testing in Bahrain, including a new race start lights sequence and a five-second blue pre-start warning. This new sequence aims to ensure fairer race starts and provide all drivers with a clear indication of when to power the turbo.
