Formula 1 Bahrain Pre-Season 2
FIA to continue F1 start trials as McLaren backs "sensible" changes
The FIA has confirmed it will continue its practice start trials at Bahrain F1 testing, with McLaren encouraged by what it felt were "sensible" starts on Wednesday.
Filip Cleeren
Edited: Feb 19, 2026, 10:04 AM
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Alexander Albon, Williams, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Last week McLaren's team boss Andrea Stella voiced concerns over Formula 1 2026's laborious start procedure with the new cars.
Stella urged the FIA to consider longer start procedure timings to avoid drivers not being able to spool up their turbos, which now has to be done manually by holding revs for over 10 seconds.
Following discussions at Wednesday morning's F1 Commission meeting in Bahrain, the FIA trialled a longer start procedure by giving drivers an additional five seconds between lining up and starting the lights sequence, which led to a smooth practice start at the end of Wednesday's running.
F1's governing body has since confirmed it will continue the experiment after each half day of running on Thursday and Friday before making a decision on what it will do at the start of the season in Australia.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images
Mark Temple, McLaren's technical director for performance, said the team was satisfied by what it felt was a "sensible" practice start on Wednesday.
"There were some concerns that were voiced previously, so this was a kind of a chance to put a number of cars together to go through what we expect the start procedure to actually be," Temple said.
"Certainly, from what I saw, it all looked pretty normal and pretty sensible. I think that kind of helps allay some of those fears, that when everyone's ready, everyone knows what they're doing, and the procedures are followed, I don't think it's a big issue.
"I think it's going to be perfectly reasonable. I'm sure there may be a little bit more fine-tuning, and there'll be feedback from this one, from the drivers, from the teams, and that will be revisited."
Photos from Bahrain Pre-Season Testing - Day 5
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Day 5, in photos
Formula 1
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