Procedure included in the Race Director’s notes
Standing starts with the new 2026 rules have raised debates about the potential danger arising from cars forced to start ‘in slow motion’ because drivers would not have had the necessary time to build up the revs needed to cancel the delay due to turbo-lag.
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In the Race Director’s notes for the Australian GP, it has been included that when the starting grid is complete after the formation lap, five seconds of ‘pre-start’ will be given to allow all drivers to bring the turbo revs up to speed.
During these five seconds, blue panels will flash, then at that point the actual starting procedure will begin with the progressive lighting of the five lights on the gantry. Active aerodynamics will be deployable after Turn-1.
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