– The starting procedure in Formula 1 continues to cause discussion: Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has expressed cautious criticism that the new five-second warning was introduced, even though the hurdles in the starting process were “known from day one.”
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After all, the Scuderia even made “compromises” in the development of the powertrain. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, whose team relies on Ferrari technology, is therefore also of the opinion that the starting process should not be adjusted further.
“I think the sequence is good,” says the Japanese with a view to the five-second warning. But “I don’t think it would be fair to change the regulation even further, because everyone was informed about it a long time ago. And then this thing with the starts, how many seconds you need and so on.”
“No safety risk at all” at the start
“That is also partly a question of vehicle architecture,” Komatsu underlines Vasseur’s statements that Ferrari also focused on the most perfect starting process possible during development. “So I think that these four or five seconds with the blue light are completely sufficient.”
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This procedure, which was tested several times during the winter test in Bahrain, “worked really well,” says the Haas team principal. “The drivers who were there got away well from the start. So I don’t think there is a safety risk.”
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McLaren team principal Andrea Stella in particular had expressed clear criticism. “Initially, without these additional five seconds, I would have agreed with Andrea that there could be a risk,” says Komatsu. “But now, with the preparation phase before the start, I don’t see any safety risk at all anymore.”
Haas “in a good position” at the start
In addition: Ferrari and Haas had made a strong impression during the practice starts in Bahrain, which the team principal downplays, however. “I wouldn’t be that satisfied after all,” he says cautiously. “There are still many differences.”
“But to be fair, we let it rip a bit, as we were the last car on the grid during one of the practice starts.” This means: shortly after the car had come to a standstill, the blue lights had already come on.
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“So we had a minimum time,” says Komatsu. “Then we had to flip a few more switches, and it still worked. In that respect, I think everything is fine.” The Japanese sees his team overall “in a good position” with regard to the changed starting process.
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