Stella calls for rule changes, three urgent issues: starts, overtaking and ‘Lift and Coast’
Several critical issues emerged during the Bahrain test, according to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, who believes the F1 Commission must intervene before the season opener in Melbourne, Australia.
What the McLaren team principal said
The first three days of official pre-season testing in Bahrain highlighted – in the view of Andrea Stella – three key areas that need urgent attention under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations. Stella is calling for adjustments to the rules regarding race starts (with Ferrari currently opposing any immediate change), the overtaking difficulties that have become apparent, and the need to mitigate what he described as the “chronic” Lift and Coast drivers are being forced to use. Below are his comments as reported by Autosport.
Race starts: a matter of safety
“We are not talking about the top speed you reach in qualifying. We are not talking about your race pace. We are talking about safety on the starting grid. There are some topics that are simply more important than competitive interest. And for me, guaranteeing safety on the starting grid, which can be achieved with a simple adjustment, is simply obvious. 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 where you want cars to be slow off the line. This is a bigger interest than any competitive interest. So I think all teams and the FIA should take responsibility when it comes to what is necessary.”
Without DRS, overtaking becomes extremely difficult
“In the past, DRS created an advantage in terms of aerodynamic drag for the car that was following. This year, when you follow someone, you have the same drag and the same power, so it becomes quite difficult to overtake. Our drivers raced other drivers during these three days of testing in Bahrain and found it extremely difficult to pass. Having additional energy available when you are within one second is difficult to exploit, because that extra energy may only translate into a bit more speed at the end of the straight. So I think, once again, as an F1 community, we should evaluate what can be done to ensure reasonable feasibility when it comes to overtaking. Otherwise, we lose one of the fundamental elements of racing, which is giving drivers the opportunity to overtake.”
The dangers of Lift and Coast
“This may not be an ideal situation when you are following closely, and it can lead to race scenarios like the ones we saw several times in the past with Webber in Valencia, Patrese in Portugal, and other cases that we certainly would not want to see again in Formula 1 – namely the ‘take-off’ of the following car after contact between the rear wheels of the leading car and the front wheels of the one behind.”
Possible solutions on the table
Regarding race starts, one possible solution would be to allow sufficient time for all cars on the grid to bring engine revs up to a level that avoids excessive turbo lag, thus preventing activation of the anti-stall system and improving launch safety.
As for overtaking, one idea could be to reduce the maximum electrical power allowed during the race, currently set at 350 kW, in order to ensure that the new boost mode can function effectively and create a clearer performance delta.
To reduce the need for Lift and Coast techniques, a potential approach would be to modify the regulations surrounding “superclipping” – the phenomenon whereby cars begin harvesting energy while still running at full throttle. Currently, cars can superclip up to 250 kW, but increasing that figure to the full 350 kW capacity of the electric motor would provide more available energy without forcing drivers into potentially dangerous energy-saving techniques.
However, the corrective measure aimed at reducing Lift and Coast conflicts with the one designed to facilitate overtaking, highlighting the delicate balance the F1 Commission must strike ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
Andrea Stella’s calls for reform highlight the delicate balancing act F1 faces as it enters this new hybrid era. While teams like Ferrari may be hesitant to give up a potential competitive edge on the start-line, the looming safety risks of airborne crashes and a “processional” race at Melbourne could force the FIA’s hand. The coming weeks will reveal if the F1 Commission can find a middle ground that preserves the “show” without compromising the safety of the drivers.
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