McLaren Chief Calls for Urgent F1 Regulation Changes Ahead of Australia Race
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has voiced serious concerns regarding the safety and competitive fairness of Formula 1’s new regulations, calling for swift adjustments before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 15th. The issues, identified during preseason testing in Bahrain, center around the sport’s new power units and their impact on race starts, in-race safety, and overtaking opportunities.
The shift to new power unit regulations has presented unforeseen challenges for teams, prompting criticism even from reigning four-time champion Max Verstappen. Stella believes addressing these concerns is “imperative” and achievable before the first race.
Safety Concerns at Race Starts
Testing revealed significant difficulties in achieving clean getaways, raising safety concerns on the grid. Under the new rules, cars cannot deploy electrical boost until reaching 50km/h, relying solely on the V6 turbo engine for initial acceleration. The removal of the MGU-H – a component previously used to spool the turbo for optimal boost pressure – has exacerbated the issue.
Drivers were observed revving their engines for over ten seconds during practice starts to build turbo boost and mitigate turbo-lag. Stella emphasized the need to adjust the start procedure to ensure all cars can prepare their power units safely. “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,” he stated. “This is of bigger interest than any competitive interest.”
The situation is further complicated by differing approaches to turbocharger design. Reports indicate Ferrari opted for a smaller turbocharger to combat turbo-lag, initially raising the issue but subsequently blocking attempts to modify the start procedure.
“Lift and Coast” Risks and Potential Collisions
Another safety concern stems from the increased likelihood of drivers needing to “lift and coast” – reducing throttle to recharge the power unit’s battery. This practice, more prevalent due to battery management demands, could lead to high-speed collisions if following cars fail to react to the sudden deceleration.
Stella referenced past incidents, including Mark Webber’s airborne accident at the 2010 European Grand Prix in Valencia, as examples of the potential dangers. “There could be cars that follow another car and the car ahead may want to lift to harvest [energy],” he explained. “This may not be an ideal situation when you follow closely and this can give a race situation…a few 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 Challenges with New “Straight Line Mode”
The replacement for the DRS overtaking aid, now known as “straight line mode,” is also under scrutiny. While the system aims to reduce drag and provide overtaking opportunities, initial testing suggests it lacks the necessary speed advantage to facilitate wheel-to-wheel racing.
Unlike the DRS, which provided a significant aerodynamic advantage, the new system offers similar drag and power to following cars. Stella noted that drivers found it “extremely difficult to overtake” during testing, with the additional energy providing minimal benefit. “Our drivers have been racing with other drivers during these three days of testing in Bahrain and they found it extremely difficult to overtake,” he said. “The fact that you have an additional amount of energy when you follow and you are within one second is difficult to exploit.”
Stella urged the F1 community to address the issue to preserve the sport’s fundamental element of overtaking.
The McLaren team principal hopes these issues will be discussed at the upcoming F1 Commission meeting next week. He reiterated that his suggestions are motivated by safety and the overall health of the sport, not by competitive advantage. “We are not talking about how fast you are in qualifying,” he said. “We are talking about safety on the grid.” He concluded, “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.”
