F1’s new emergency start system explained: preventing danger without gaining an advantage. Nikolas Tombazis explains the FIA’s new emergency low-power start detection system.

Nikolas Tombazis has explained how the new emergency start procedure will work and the ideas being considered to ensure it does not create any competitive advantage.

One of the key priorities for the regulatory updates was to eliminate safety risks at race starts, which have become more relevant with turbo engines now lacking the MGU-H and therefore taking longer to build up the required pressure. The April meetings led to the development of a new emergency system capable of activating the electric motor below the usual 50 km/h threshold in order to react to dangerously slow starts. The concern, particularly among supporters of Ferrari-powered teams, is that this could compromise the launch advantage traditionally associated with Maranello’s power units, but the FIA has ensured that the procedure will not provide any performance gain.

How the system will work

During a meeting with the Italian press, Nikolas Tombazis, FIA Single-Seater Director, provided further details on how the new Low Power Start Detection System will function:

“The system aims to detect very bad starts that are dangerous. It is not the case that if someone makes a decent start, they would be able to overtake the car ahead. The safety system simply monitors how much the car is accelerating in the first half second. If it detects a disastrous situation, it would provide assistance to ensure that the car leaves the grid, not at the same speed as the others, but at least not in a dangerous way.”

“The car that uses this system will always be one that has made a poor start,” Nikolas Tombazis continued. “For example, the system would definitely have intervened in Lawson’s case in Australia, while it would not have been activated for Verstappen’s start in China, which was bad but not dangerous. Obviously, if we were to see that it is being used with different intentions, we would not hesitate to act, but we do not believe that will be necessary.”

Proposed penalty

The FIA official also revealed that a penalty system was discussed for cases in which the emergency procedure is triggered:

“We even discussed with the teams the possibility of introducing a penalty at the end of the first lap if this system is activated. For example, a drive-through penalty could be applied, so that we are absolutely certain that it does not provide any hidden advantage. The teams were unanimous in saying that, as we have designed it, the system will never provide an advantage and only serves to prevent a dangerous situation.”

The system, however, will not be introduced before June. The plan is to carry out tests in Miami and Canada, evaluating every possible outcome in detail:

“The start system will only be tested in the next two races. It will not yet be adopted, because we obviously need to be sure that it does not create any side effects. For that reason, we need to carry out some testing together with the teams,” Nikolas Tombazis concluded.

In summary, the introduction of the Low power start detection system marks a significant step forward in addressing the unique technical challenges of the 2026 Formula 1 power units. By prioritizing grid safety over performance gains and considering strict penalties like drive-throughs for its activation, the FIA is ensuring that the competitive integrity of race starts remains intact. As the paddock heads to Miami and Montreal for real-world testing, these procedural safeguards will be fine-tuned to protect the drivers while maintaining the authentic battle for position that defines the run down to Turn 1.