Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Kimi Antonelli has conceded that race starts represent a “weak point” for Mercedes following Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain ahead of the 2026 campaign.
As the championship prepares to open in Melbourne, start procedures have emerged as a major talking point under the revised power unit regulations. With the removal of the MGU-H, drivers must now manually spool up the turbo on the grid — a process that can take up to 10 seconds and is significantly more complex than in previous seasons.
The altered sequence led to multiple compromised launches during the opening week of testing in Sakhir. While the FIA initially downplayed safety concerns, it later trialled a revised start procedure during the second Bahrain test to reduce the risk of stalled cars and potential first-corner incidents.
Antonelli was unable to perform a full grid practice start on the final day after his W17 suffered a pneumatic pressure loss, necessitating a power unit change. However, he did complete a start simulation from the end of the pit lane prior to the issue.
“The Ferrari power unit looked very strong on starts, but we made a lot of changes and at the end of the pit lane the start felt much stronger,” Antonelli said.
“Obviously, we couldn’t test it properly on the grid, but it’s been a bit of a weak point for us, to be fair. The procedure is very complicated and we just need to get it right. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I think on Friday we made a good step forward.”
Antonelli pointed to Ferrari as the benchmark in this area, with its launches during testing drawing particular attention. Mercedes will need to match that execution level to convert overall pace into track position.
Team-mate George Russell has also raised concerns, warning that any performance advantage could be neutralised if Mercedes cannot out-drag Ferrari to Turn 1. Russell described his own practice starts as among the worst he has experienced in Formula 1.
Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri, who also runs a Mercedes power unit at McLaren, offered a more measured view. The Australian suggested that start performance remains inconsistent across the grid and appears “very random” at this stage, although he acknowledged the presence of significant risks if the procedure is mishandled.
With the 2026 regulations fundamentally altering launch dynamics, start execution is set to become a decisive factor in race outcomes. For Mercedes, refining that phase before lights out in Melbourne will be essential to maximise its competitive potential.
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