“It was known since day one” – Fred Vasseur takes a swipe at teams over 2026 F1 engine compromises. Frederic Vasseur addresses the debate over F1 2026 starting procedures.

The topic of starting procedures under the new F1 2026 regulations has resurfaced in Bahrain, but according to Frederic Vasseur there is nothing new in the discussion. In fact, the Ferrari Team Principal has used the opportunity to send a subtle warning to his rivals.

One of the hottest issues to emerge recently regarding the 2026 Formula 1 regulations concerns race start procedures. On the eve of the new season, which will officially get underway in Melbourne, Fred Vasseur gave an extensive interview to Motorsport in which he discussed the Formula 1 landscape that lies ahead.

For the Ferrari Team Principal, the introduction of a completely new set of regulations represents an unprecedented technical and strategic challenge. It is effectively a clean-sheet project that involves every single component of the car — from the power unit to the chassis and aerodynamics — and even the way the rules themselves are written and interpreted. The so-called “compression ratio saga” is a perfect example of how complex and nuanced regulatory wording can become in modern Formula 1.

With the abolition of the MGU-H, the system that previously eliminated turbo lag by controlling the turbocharger’s rotational speed, it was always inevitable that starting procedures would also be affected. Without that hybrid element smoothing power delivery, managing turbo response becomes a critical factor not only for drivability but also for race starts. For Fred Vasseur, however, this development does not come as a surprise in the slightest.

“Without the MGU-H it was clear that turbo lag would become a factor to manage, from drivability to starts. It was known from day one,” the Frenchman explained in his interview with Roberto Chinchero. “When defining the guidelines of a power unit, you don’t only consider pure power output, but also other aspects, and one of them is the start.”

For that reason, Ferrari made specific technical decisions early in the development process. “We made certain choices,” he continued. “The FIA was quite clear from the beginning about not wanting to modify the starting procedure.” That is precisely why the Frenchman was not “surprised when this topic returned to the spotlight in Bahrain,” he stated.

Vasseur also underlined how, in his view, some of the recent concerns may have been somewhat overstated. “It’s easy to ask a driver to raise a safety issue or something similar, but in reality everything had been known for a long time. When you decide on the architecture of an engine you always make compromises — on one side you have maximum power, on the other drivability. You make choices,” he concluded.

As Formula 1 prepares to enter its new technical era in 2026, Ferrari’s position appears clear: the regulatory framework has been defined for some time, and teams have had the opportunity to adapt accordingly. In Fred Vasseur’s view, the debate over starting procedures reflects the inevitable trade-offs that come with designing a new-generation power unit rather than any late regulatory surprise.

And you? What do you think about Fred Vasseur’s view and Ferrari’s prospects for the 2026 F1 season? Let us know with a comment at the end of the article or on our social media channels: Facebook Group / Facebook Page / X (former Twitter) and TikTok.