George Russell has explained the variety of factors that can make Formula 1 race starts in 2026 vary from perfection to complete disaster for drivers.
The increased reliance on electrification and battery management in F1’s new era of car has led to new challenges in 2026, one of the most notable being race starts.
If perfected, drivers can launch off the line with absolute precision, and utilise the battery to jump several places in a matter of metres.
However, if issues occur with just one of the many new elements that make up race start preparation, a driver will fall rapidly to the back of the field.
Mercedes is no stranger to this effect, having nailed the start in Canada after both Russell and Kimi Antonelli failed to launch in China.
Answering a question from Motorsport Week on Media Day at the F1 Monaco GP as to why Mercedes can suffer from bad starts and the efforts to turn them around, Russell explained the “challenging” nature of the cars.
Well I think it’s very challenging in this generation of cars”, he said
“Firstly you’re trying to get the turbo speed up and get the boost from the engine.
“Then you don’t have the MGU-K activated until 50km an hour.Then how that power integrates as you’re accelerating in turn with the gear shifts as well.
“This is all very challenging to get things in sync.
George Russell highlights new race start challenge for drivers to contend with
Russell also highlighted a new area for the drivers to manage, revealing that higher tyres pressures can now heavily influence race starts, including that of rivals.
“The tyres are different to last year, narrower, ” he confirmed.
“We have on average 5psi higher rear tyre pressures this year compared to last year. So also judging the grip level has been a challenge.
“So as all of these factors come together that has made it very challenging for everybody on the grid and why when you get it right you’ve seen McLaren and Ferrari make some great starts.
“We actually made the best start in the sprint race on Saturday in Canada so we know we can achieve it. But it’s just very difficult this early on.
The race in Monaco will be keenly observed by many, as the circuit’s unique narrow characteristics will likely minimise any impact from poor getaways.
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