Formula 1 2026 starts completely changed by the new power unit rules
The technical revolution introduced by the new Formula 1 2026 power units and the removal of the MGU-H has transformed race starts into one of the most unpredictable and decisive battlegrounds on the grid. While Ferrari’s turbo gamble is rewarding the Scuderia with explosive launches, the heavy losses suffered by top teams such as Mercedes and Red Bull reveal completely new weaknesses.
By analyzing the real data collected during the opening races of the season, it becomes possible to understand who is dominating when the lights go out — and who is collapsing immediately off the line.
Why Formula 1 2026 starts are so different
To fully understand the numbers, it is necessary to rewind and examine the major technical changes affecting race starts in 2026. The new power units have radically transformed driver procedures on the starting grid.
The biggest revolution is the disappearance of the MGU-H. In previous Formula 1 generations, this electric motor instantly kept the turbocharger spinning and ready.
Now, however, the turbo — optimized to rotate at around 100,000 rpm — is powered exclusively by exhaust gas flow. The physics behind it are simple: higher engine revs generate faster exhaust flow, which is essential to keep the turbine spinning efficiently.
Without immediate access to maximum boost pressure, drivers now experience the return of the so-called “turbo lag” the moment they apply throttle.
In practical terms, this means a temporary power delay exactly when the driver accelerates away from the line — a problem that the MGU-H had almost completely eliminated until the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
To guarantee maximum combustion engine performance toward Turn 1, the turbocharger now needs to already be operating at full speed at the exact moment the lights go out.
This requires both time and extremely high engine revs before launch. The challenge for drivers therefore becomes twofold: raising engine speed sufficiently to fully spool the turbo while simultaneously holding the throttle at the perfect rpm range to maximize clutch release efficiency.
That is also why the FIA introduced an additional five-second window allowing drivers to raise engine revs before the start sequence.
The real data collected from the opening four races
To measure the true competitive picture in this area, statistical analysis has produced two different types of standings: an “official” classification and a “cleaned” version.
The official classification includes drivers who did not start the race (DNS) based on the final starting grid order.
For example, when the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were unable to start from fifth and sixth position in China due to technical failures, drivers behind them were automatically credited with two positions gained during the opening lap without completing any real overtakes.
The “cleaned” database instead removes DNS cars entirely, compacting the starting grid and eliminating all “ghost” positions gained without actual on-track passes.
To guarantee analytical accuracy and transparency, all the numbers referenced in this article are based exclusively on the cleaned dataset.
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari among the kings of race starts
The balance from the opening races — from Australia to Miami — crowns Williams and Ferrari as the kings of opening laps, with the two teams recovering an impressive 22 and 21 positions respectively.
Looking at individual performances, the undisputed king of starts is Charles Leclerc, whose Ferrari holds a positive balance of +12 positions gained. He is closely followed by the Williams duo Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, both tied on +11.
Also featuring near the top are Haas teammates Esteban Ocon (+10) and Lewis Hamilton (+9). The secret behind Ferrari’s SF-26 launches appears linked to the use of a more compact turbocharger. It is a highly debated technical choice throughout the paddock because it sacrifices peak power in favor of faster turbine response and quicker spool-up during starts. And so far, the numbers clearly show that Ferrari’s gamble is paying off.
As for Williams, the statistics are partially influenced by the team’s significant drop in competitiveness compared to previous seasons. After finishing fifth in last year’s constructors’ championship, Williams now finds itself managing an overweight and underperforming project. This forces Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon to start consistently further back on the grid, naturally creating more opportunities to gain positions during the chaotic opening phase of races.
A similar dynamic has also emerged at Aston Martin, where Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have had to deal with the unpredictable behavior of the new Honda power unit. Alonso himself already spoke publicly about Aston Martin’s gearbox problems, but despite those difficulties, the team’s drivers have still shown strong instincts in exploiting the chaos of the opening laps, allowing Aston Martin to rank third overall in this statistic.
Which Formula 1 teams are losing the most positions at the start?
While some teams celebrate, three others are experiencing a genuine nightmare during opening laps: Audi, Red Bull and Mercedes, which have collectively lost 34, 30 and 24 positions respectively during the first four race weekends.
Audi’s collapse is almost entirely attributable to Nico Hulkenberg, who alone has lost 33 positions — including 12 positions lost in Miami after an early pit stop to replace a damaged front wing. Meanwhile, two major Formula 1 stars sit tied at -20 overall: Max Verstappen in the Red Bull — whose numbers were heavily affected by his opening-lap spin on Sunday — and current championship leader Kimi Antonelli. The Italian, however, holds a particularly unwelcome record across the entire Formula 1 grid: he has lost positions at the start in every single competition so far this season, recording a -5 in Australia, a -6 during the Chinese Sprint and another -5 in Japan.
It is a weakness Mercedes urgently needs to solve, especially because in modern Formula 1 2026, the start phase has once again become one of the most influential moments of the entire race.
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