One of the most interesting technical topics to analyze after the Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of Formula 1’s new era, is undoubtedly Ferrari’s race start. The Maranello-based team made a very specific engineering choice: adopting a slightly smaller turbocharger compared to the Mercedes solution, with the aim of reducing system inertia and achieving faster response at low engine speeds. The result is a clear advantage during the launch phase and in the very first moments of acceleration.
Under the new 2026 regulations, the turbocharger is no longer assisted by the MGU-H, which has been removed from the power unit. This means the turbo must now accelerate solely thanks to the energy from exhaust gases, making turbine inertia management far more critical than in the previous generation of hybrid engines.
For this reason, a more compact and lighter turbine can significantly reduce turbo lag during the transition between lift-off and acceleration. This characteristic becomes especially effective during standing starts, where immediate throttle response is crucial.
To address these challenges, the FIA introduced a regulatory adjustment during development that increases the interval between the second red light turning on and the lights going out to up to five seconds. The goal was to help manufacturers who had encountered difficulties managing this phase.
There was therefore considerable curiosity to see whether Ferrari’s theoretical advantage would also appear at the start of the Australian Grand Prix. The answer was quite clear: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who started respectively from P3 and P7, found themselves running P1 and P3 already after the first acceleration phase.
Ferrari start telemetry analysis
To quantify the phenomenon, we can analyze live telemetry by comparing the speed recorded at the entry to Turn 1:
Leclerc — 246 km/h
Hamilton — 247 km/h
Russell — 228 km/h
Antonelli — 230 km/h
The Ferraris therefore gained nearly 20 km/h within just a few hundred meters compared to Mercedes, which had been considered one of the benchmark cars heading into the weekend. This is an extremely significant gap, allowing the Scuderia to gain several positions even before the braking zone for Turn 1.
To complete the picture among the top teams, Lando Norris, driving the Mercedes-powered McLaren, was in line with the difficulties shown by the German manufacturer during this phase, reaching only 218 km/h. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, recorded a respectable 227 km/h, suggesting that Red Bull may have followed a design direction closer to Ferrari’s in terms of turbocharger behavior during the launch phase.
However, after the race Mercedes stated that it had encountered power delivery issues precisely during the start phase, a factor that likely amplified the gap observed in the opening meters.
It therefore remains to be seen how this advantage will evolve over the next races, especially as Ferrari’s rivals work to optimize power unit management during starts in order to close the gap.
The telemetry from Melbourne confirms that Ferrari’s gamble on a smaller turbocharger has yielded a “rocket ship” start capability that could become a vital tactical asset throughout the 2026 season. While Mercedes attributes some of the 20 km/h deficit to software delivery glitches, the sheer physical advantage of Ferrari’s lower-inertia system suggests that Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will be a constant threat on every standing start as the paddock moves toward the long straights of Shanghai.
