The first Formula 1 weekend of the year now seems a long time ago, but it was there that fans truly realized the cataclysmic impact the all-new power units would have on this season. In Melbourne, Liam Lawson was extremely slow away from the line and came close to a massive crash with Franco Colapinto’s fast-starting Alpine directly behind him.
Turbo Lag and Launch Problems
The issue stemmed from how the new powertrains handle a standing start—problems that had already been exposed during pre-season testing in Bahrain. With engine manufacturers allowed to choose different sizes of turbocharger fans, the units with larger blades were taking longer to spool up and provide the acceleration required for a launch.
This was compounded by the fact that the hybrid system (MGU-K) would only kick in once cars reached 50 km/h, meaning it could not compensate off the line. For the opening weekend of the season, the FIA mandated an altered start procedure.
The Five-Second Warning Sequence
The solution was to give drivers a five-second warning at the beginning of their start sequence. This allowed drivers to rev their engines and spool up their turbos, which was intended to prevent drastic closing speeds when the lights went out.
Ferrari was furious, having highlighted the issue almost a year before the 2026 season opener. At the time, the FIA’s response was that the Scuderia should design its car to fit the regulations.
Vasseur Speaks Out on Ferrari’s Frustration
After the start procedure was tweaked, Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur explained his irritation: “One year ago, I went to the FIA. I raised my hand on the starting procedure to say, ‘Guys, it will be difficult.’ The reply was clear: we have to design the car to fit the regulations, not change the regulations to fit the car.”
Ferrari had designed its power unit with a smaller turbo fan blade to ensure it would spin up quickly for launches. Other manufacturers had not. “We designed the car fitting the regulations. The change of the five seconds, the blue light story—it didn’t help us at all. But I think at one stage, enough is enough,” Vasseur added. When asked if the matter was now closed, the Frenchman replied with a definitive “yes.”
Unilateral Safety Interventions by the FIA
However, the matter remained far from closed given the near-misses experienced in Melbourne. The FIA once again consulted the teams over potential fixes, but a consensus could not be reached. At a meeting ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, the governing body informed the field of additional changes being implemented on safety grounds.
Rules enacted strictly for safety can be unilaterally introduced by the FIA without team agreement. Teams were told that a new “low-power start detection” protocol had been devised to identify cars accelerating at abnormally low rates.
Automated Boosts and Visual Warnings
Under this system, an automatic deployment of the hybrid power kicks in before the car reaches 50 km/h to grant an immediate acceleration boost. Additionally, visual warning systems were introduced, triggering flashing rear lights on affected cars to alert drivers behind.
A system reset of the energy counter at the start of the formation lap was also introduced to resolve an inconsistency where certain drivers were reaching the grid with zero battery charge before the lights even went out.
FIA Confirms Rule Lock-In for 2027
The FIA has now revealed that the once-controversial start procedure will remain in place for 2027 and beyond, even though the primary drivers for its introduction have largely been resolved. “I think the five seconds are an established process now; I don’t see why it would change in this regulation cycle,” said FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis.
“That does not have to do with safety. It just has to do with having different cars arriving on the grid at different times, and drivers needing to be able to prepare in order to have, let’s say, a proper start. I don’t think it’s so much a safety topic. The electrical part is more of a safety topic,” Tombazis added.
Preventing Catastrophes Without Giving Advantages
Ferrari remains aggrieved that an engine design choice that initially allowed them to leap ahead off the line was neutralized by the FIA’s intervention. However, it appears the five-second warning is here to stay. For many, it adds a degree of build-up and drama to the launch sequence—especially given that the current power units are much quieter than F1 engines prior to the 2014 turbo-hybrid era.
The low-power start detection system is explicitly calibrated to prevent dangerous closing speeds without granting an unfair advantage to a driver who simply fluffed their launch. As Tombazis explained, the system turns a potentially catastrophic start into a bad one, but not into a competitive one.
Adjustments to ICE and Hybrid Power Split
Also planned for 2027 is a minor shift in the target power split between the internal combustion engine (ICE) and the hybrid system. Originally set at a nominal 50/50 split for 2026, it will move to a maximum of 58/42 in favor of the combustion engine, requiring roughly 5% more fuel.
The FIA initially aimed to implement a 60/40 split, but several teams voiced concerns that existing chassis designs could not accommodate the larger fuel tanks required. As a compromise, the full 60/40 target balance has been deferred to 2028.
Refining Active Aerodynamics Limits
Other modifications for 2027 involve fine-tuning the active aerodynamics framework. Based on driver feedback regarding X-mode (low-drag straights) and Z-mode (high-downforce cornering), operating windows for transitions will be tightened and response speeds accelerated to minimize unexpected balance shifts under heavy braking.
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
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In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
Nothing controversial about the five-second thing & in addition to refining active aero limits, FIA should also be considerably more reasonable, with where they place active aero zones by not placing them on very short straights & full-throttle sections that either feature or end in a full-throttle/high-speed corner, corner combination or a kink anymore, considering that the power ratio shift more towards ICE & total downforce reduction combined with considerably ease energy harvesting & availability over a lap, so naturally less need for artificial drag reduction anyway.
Btw, not 5% more fuel, but only a 5% increase in fuel flow rate, & as was the case in 2017 & 2019 with the separate 5 kg increases in race allowance, a higher portion of the absolute tank capacity could simply be allowed for the races.