Formula 1 race director Rui Marques has confirmed that a modified start procedure will be used during the Australian Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne. The adjustment comes after teams and officials raised concerns during pre-season testing about how the new 2026 power units behave at the start.

With the removal of the MGU-H component from the new engines, the turbocharger now takes longer to reach full speed. To avoid turbo lag when accelerating from the grid, drivers must keep the engine at high revs for a longer period before the start lights go out.

This situation could be particularly challenging for drivers starting further back on the grid, who normally have only a short moment to prepare for the start sequence.

To help manage this, a different start signal procedure will be used. Once the final car has taken its position on the grid after the formation lap, the starting light panels will display a flashing blue signal for five seconds. At the same time, the message “Pre-Start” will appear on the start gantry.

After this phase, the traditional five red lights sequence will begin as defined in the FIA sporting regulations.

It has also been agreed that Straight Mode, part of Formula 1’s new active aerodynamics system, will not be available immediately after the start. Drivers will only be able to activate it after passing Turn 1 on the opening lap.