Lando Norris highlights energy issues at race starts ahead of 2026 F1 season. Lando Norris explains how race starts could become more complicated in 2026 under the new regulations.

The many changes introduced by the 2026 technical regulations, both at the chassis and Power Unit level, could force drivers to tackle new challenges at various stages of the race. From turbo management at the start to battery charge throughout the lap, there will be many aspects to test during the six days of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Norris highlights one key challenge for 2026 starts

In this context, Lando Norris offered an interesting insight into how race starts will change in Grand Prix events from 2026. According to the McLaren driver, one of the most critical aspects will be managing the electrical energy and its direct impact on the start phase, traditionally one of the most delicate moments of the race. “Starts are going to be a bit more complicated than before. If we think about the turbo, previously it was managed using the battery to balance it perfectly, achieving a very smooth delivery by combining battery and internal combustion engine. Now it’s much more complicated. As soon as you start using the battery to help in any situation, you are simply taking a large amount of energy from the same battery that you will then need for the rest of the lap,” explained the reigning world champion.

“I might get a better launch, but you can end up draining the battery before reaching Turn 1, in some places like Mexico, for example. There will be some issues. Especially because it’s tricky to bring the turbo to the ideal point without risking not having the perfect battery amount to cover certain critical moments. I think during the Bahrain tests we will see a lot of start simulations,” the McLaren driver added.

As teams head to Sakhir, the focus won’t just be on raw pace, but on the delicate “chess match” of energy deployment. If a driver pushes too hard to gain a single position off the line, they may find themselves a “sitting duck” on the opening lap’s long straights, unable to defend as their battery hits zero. For the fans, this unpredictability could make the first 500 meters of the 2026 season the most tactical we’ve seen in decades.