Drivers get ready for wheel spinning classes

THE new Formula

- JEHRAN NAIDOO

One season has arrived with fresh challenges, and this time the biggest hurdle might not be corners, strategy, or top speed. It is the very first moments of a race.Getting off the line has emerged as a true dilemma for drivers and teams, and preseason testing in Bahrain has made it clear that a bad launch could have immediate, dramatic consequences.

With the 2026 regulations shaking up engines, aerodynamics, and hybrid systems, the opening meters of every GP could determine the outcome before the first corner.

The core of the problem lies in the new power unit architecture.

The removal of the motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H) means drivers can no longer rely on the turbo being instantly ready. In previous seasons, the MGU-H kept the turbo spinning and delivered power to the wheels immediately.

Without it, drivers must carefully manage turbo lag while coordinating energy from the motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K), which recovers kinetic energy during braking.