McLaren Team Principal Urges Immediate Rule Revisions Ahead of 2026 F1 Season
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has issued a stark warning to Formula 1 authorities, demanding three critical rule changes be implemented before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8. The call comes in response to alarming safety concerns that emerged during last week's pre-season test in Bahrain, where radical new engine and chassis regulations for 2026 were put through their paces for the first time.
Three Critical Safety Issues Identified
Stella highlighted three specific areas where he believes immediate regulatory intervention is necessary. The first concerns the race start procedure, which could potentially create dangerous situations on the grid. The second addresses the controversial 'lift and coast' procedure at the end of straights, while the third focuses on the new 'overtake mode' system that replaces DRS this season.
"I think it's imperative [changes are made] because it's possible and it's simple," Stella told reporters. "So, we should not complicate what is simple and we should not postpone what is possible immediately. Therefore, I think it's something that we should definitely achieve before Australia."
Race Start Procedure Poses Immediate Danger
During practice race starts at the Bahrain test, multiple cars struggled to move off the line due to the new engine requirements. The 2026 power units need to be revved extensively to build up turbo boost pressure and minimize turbo-lag, with some drivers revving hard for more than ten seconds during preparations.
The current start procedure - which sees five red lights blink at one-second intervals before all five vanish - may not provide sufficient time for drivers at the back of the grid to properly prepare their turbo systems. Stella emphasized that this creates a potentially hazardous situation where cars could be slow to accelerate off the starting grid.
"We need to make sure that the race start procedure allows all cars to have the power unit ready to go because the grid is not the place in which you want to have cars slow in taking off the grid," Stella explained. "This is of bigger interest than any competitive interest. I think all teams and the FIA should play the game of responsibility when it comes to what is needed in terms of race start procedure."
'Lift and Coast' Procedure Creates High-Speed Risk
The second safety concern revolves around the 'lift and coast' procedure, where drivers temporarily lift off the accelerator to recharge their batteries. Stella warned that this could lead to dangerous high-speed collisions when following cars are caught unaware by sudden deceleration ahead.
"There could be cars that follow another car and the car ahead may want to lift to harvest [energy]," he cautioned. "This may not be an ideal situation when you follow closely and this can give a race situation like we've seen before a few [high speed crashes] times in Valencia, [Riccardo] Patrese in Portugal and there are a few more that definitely we don't want to see anymore in Formula 1."
Overtaking Mode Insufficient for Competitive Racing
Stella's third concern addresses the new 'overtake mode' system that replaces the traditional DRS (Drag Reduction System). The McLaren boss believes the current implementation lacks sufficient power to create meaningful overtaking opportunities during races, potentially undermining one of racing's fundamental elements.
"I think, unlike in the past, where we had the DRS and the DRS created such an advantage from an aerodynamic drag point of view for the following car, this year, when you follow somebody, you have the same drag and the same power, so it becomes quite difficult to overtake," Stella detailed.
"Our drivers have been racing with other drivers during these three days of testing in Bahrain and they found it extremely difficult to overtake. The fact that you have an additional amount of energy when you follow and you are within one second is difficult to exploit because this extra energy may mean that there is just a little bit more deployment at the end of the straight, if anything."
Safety Over Competitive Interests
Stella was keen to emphasize that his proposals are driven by safety considerations rather than competitive advantage for McLaren. As Formula 1 enters a new regulatory era, he stressed that certain issues transcend individual team interests.
"We are not talking about how fast you are in qualifying," he clarified. "We are not talking about what is your race pace. We are talking about safety on the grid. Like I said before, there are some topics which are simply bigger than the competitive interest. And for me, having safety on the grid, which can be achieved with simple adjustment, is just a no-brainer. It's just a bigger interest."
Urgent Discussions Scheduled
These critical safety topics will be discussed at the highest level during this Wednesday's F1 Commission meeting, which coincides with the final pre-season test in Bahrain. The discussions between the FIA and team representatives will determine whether Stella's proposed changes can be implemented before cars take to the track in Melbourne for the first race of the 2026 season.
As Formula 1 prepares to usher in its most significant regulatory change in years, Stella's warnings highlight the delicate balance between innovation and safety that must be maintained as the sport evolves. The coming days will reveal whether the F1 community can address these concerns in time for the Australian Grand Prix, or whether teams will need to adapt to potentially hazardous conditions during the opening races of the new era.
