The ‘Grand Prix’ of politics
Monday, April 20 promises to be a crucial day for this Formula 1 season and for the near future of the championship. Indeed, on this date, a meeting between teams, FIA, and F1 is scheduled to define if and what changes to introduce to the current regulations, which have generated more than a few discussions during the first three GPs of the season. The topics on the table are numerous, including the desire to increase the ‘racing’ spirit, which has partially diminished, especially in qualifying, the need to consider some elements regarding driver safety on track, and the understandable strategy of all individual teams seeking to secure competitive advantages through these regulatory adjustments.
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In an interview published on McLaren’s official website, the team principal of the reigning world champion team addressed the issue of the highly anticipated meeting scheduled for Monday, emphasizing the work that the teams are trying to do together with the federation’s management and F1’s top brass: “The sense of responsibility and the spirit of collaboration that everyone is demonstrating represent the best response Formula 1 can give at this moment – observed Andrea Stella, who has adopted the line dictated by Stefano Domenicali – we are well aware, as Stefano Domenicali reminded us once again in recent days, of how we arrived at the new regulations and how necessary this power unit architecture was to ensure the participation of some of the largest car manufacturers in Formula 1.”
The topic of starts and beyond
“If we first look at the data, we cannot deny that the fans’ reaction has been positive overall – the McLaren team principal added – with average approval ratings for the first three races higher than those of 2025, not to mention the three sell-outs recorded in Melbourne, Shanghai, and Suzuka. Television viewership data is also very encouraging, with overall double-digit increases, between 20 and 30%, as reported to us by F1. At the same time, we at McLaren have emphasized since the very first tests that there are aspects that can be improved to make the rules even better and more effective.”
Subtly, but not too subtly, Stella also took advantage of this interview to reiterate a very delicate and controversial point: that of starts. The McLaren team principal has long insisted on the danger of some cars starting ‘in slow motion’ compared to others, but it cannot be overlooked that starts are also Ferrari’s main strength. It’s no coincidence that Fred Vasseur, the red team principal, recently said that he is no longer willing to concede anything from this point of view after having given in on the introduction of the five-second pre-start.
“Changes? I’m thinking, for example, about how we can ensure that one can drive ‘full throttle’ in qualifying, so as to make this moment adequately rewarding for the drivers. But also, looking at things from a safety perspective, how we can make starts and close battles safer,” the Italian manager added. It should also be remembered, for completeness, how the McLaren single-seaters themselves, especially in the last GP in Japan, proved particularly effective at the lights out.
