In Monaco, Ferrari should not count on the advantage it displayed at the starts at the beginning of the 2026 Formula 1 season. According to Lewis Hamilton, changes promoted by the FIA significantly reduced the difference the Italian team had in relation to its adversaries in the decisive moments before the lights went out.
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The seven-time champion stated that the expectation for the Monaco GP is not to repeat the stronger starts that Ferrari demonstrated in the first races of the year. In the British driver’s view, the changes in the regulations created more balanced conditions for all teams in the starting procedure.
The origin of this differential was in a specific technical choice by Ferrari. When designing its turbocharger, the team adopted a different philosophy from the competition, using a smaller unit. The solution sacrificed some of the maximum power but offered quicker responses on exit, allowing the engine to reach its ideal operating range with greater agility.
In the early moments of the current generation of cars, the strategy proved to be quite efficient. Ferrari frequently achieved superior starts to its competitors, while some teams encountered difficulties, especially in the clutch release phase.
Over time, however, competitors evolved their own systems, and the Italian advantage began to diminish. Furthermore, the FIA implemented changes to the starting procedure that contributed to further leveling the playing field among the teams.
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At the beginning of the season, the entity started using a new start sequence with blue lights before the traditional five red lights. This procedure offers more time for drivers to adjust engine RPM before the start. Subsequently, from Miami onwards, a low-power start detection system was also introduced, created for safety reasons to reduce the risk of cars stalling on the grid.
Hamilton confirmed that Ferrari’s good starts at the beginning of the season were directly linked to the technical decisions adopted by the team. However, he believes that the impact of these choices diminished after the regulatory changes: “In the beginning, this happened because we made decisions to favor our starts and others didn’t. Then some rules changed, so now we have more time and everyone gets similar starts,” said the Ferrari driver.
As a result, the Briton understands that the previously seen differences have practically disappeared, making the upcoming Formula 1 starts more balanced among the teams.
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