Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur believes it has got to the point where “enough is enough” in terms of changing Formula 1’s race-start procedure.
The Italian team’s lightning starts in races have been a feature of the first two weekends of the sport’s new rules era, with Charles Leclerc taking the lead in Australia and Lewis Hamilton doing likewise in China from the second row of the grid.
With getaways from the line more complicated this year due to changes to F1’s power unit regulations, a five-second ‘pre-start’ procedure was introduced ahead of the season’s opening race.
However, after a wide variation in cars’ starts through the field in Melbourne, George Russell suggested that another tweak to the rules was needed and implied that Ferrari were being “selfish” by blocking further change.
Speaking after Sunday’s race, which saw Hamilton go from third to first by Turn One ahead of the front row-starting Mercedes’, Vasseur said he felt Ferrari had already compromised in that area enough.
“We already changed massively the rule of the start with the five-second story,” said the Ferrari team principal.
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George Russell says drivers will need to work around the race start procedure following some teams’ resistance to change
“One year ago, I went to the FIA. I raised the hand on the starting procedure to say ‘guys it will be difficult’. The reply was clear that we have to design the car fitting with the regulation and not to change the regulation fitting with the car.
“We designed the car fitting with the regulation, the change of the five seconds, the blue light story, didn’t help us at all, but I think at one stage enough is enough.”
Asked if the case was now closed he replied, “For me, yes.”
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Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari’s rocket away at the start of the Australian GP
Vasseur sees engine upgrade chance – but says Ferrari ‘have to work everywhere’
While Ferrari’s strength in starts has caught the eye of rivals, the Scuderia were among the teams who pushed for changes to tests over engine compression ratio limits after feeling Mercedes, the pre-season favourites and early championship leaders, had exploited a loophole in the regulations.
A change in the testing rules comes into force from June 1 – following what will now be the season’s fifth round due to the cancellations of April’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix – when engines will be tested both in hot and cold conditions.
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Watch the moment where Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s wheels come together during their scrap at the Chinese Grand Prix
Vasseur played down the impact that change will have, but did suggest Ferrari were in line to benefit from another new rule in place for 2026 regarding in-season upgrades to power units.
The regulations set out three periods of Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) during the season with rivals judged to be at least two per cent behind the manufacturer with the best-performing internal combustion engine awarded development opportunities for this year and next.
The first ADUO is due to be after the season’s sixth round.
“I’m not convinced that the new compression ratio rule will be a gamechanger,” said Vasseur.
“It’s more that you will have the ADUO at one stage and the introduction of the ADUO will be an opportunity for us to close the gap but once again it’s not just about pure performance.
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Kimi Antonelli is left almost speechless after securing his first Grand Prix win, while Lewis Hamilton congratulates the him after finishing third
“I think you have a lot in the energy management, a lot in the chassis and it would be a mistake from our side to be just focused on one parameter.”
On where he feels Ferrari are trailing Mercedes, one-two finishers in both the season’s first two grands prix, Vasseur said: “We know that we have a deficit of performance, mainly in the straight line. We have to work on it.
“We are improving because we were eight tenths off in Melbourne, six tenths on Friday in China, four tenths on Saturday.
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Highlights from the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
“Step by step we are understanding a bit more the situation and closing the gap, but they are still far away. It’s not just about the engine. We have to work everywhere.
“We have to improve on the chassis and the tyres like always. Racing didn’t change. All the components of the performance are still on the table and we don’t have to be focused only on one parameter, but it’s a challenge.”
Formula 1 next heads to the iconic Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix on March 27-29 live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
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