The FIA has issued a stern warning to Formula One competitors that any attempt to manipulate new starting protocols for a competitive advantage will result in significant penalties.

The directive follows concerns regarding the 2026 power unit regulations, which utilise an even split between internal combustion and electrical energy. This season, several drivers have struggled with insufficient power during the initial launch, leading to dangerously sluggish starts. A notable incident occurred during the Australian Grand Prix when Liam Lawson’s slow getaway nearly resulted in a high-speed collision with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.

In response to these safety concerns, the FIA has developed a "low-power start detection system" for the Miami Grand Prix. This technology identifies vehicles with insufficient acceleration immediately following clutch release.

ALSO READ: Ferrari tipped to deliver Miami GP’s biggest technical shock

Automated Recovery and Warning Systems

When the system detects an abnormal launch, it automatically triggers MGU-K deployment to provide a baseline level of acceleration. Additionally, affected cars will activate flashing rear and lateral lights to alert following drivers of the hazard.

While other regulatory updates take effect immediately, the start detection system will undergo testing and analysis throughout the Miami weekend. It is expected to be fully implemented for the Canadian Grand Prix.

Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, emphasised that the measure is a safety net rather than a performance enhancer.

"We made it clear that, first of all, this is not supposed to be a mechanism whereby people would be, let's say, even tempted to do it on purpose to come up better off," Tombazis stated, according to RacingNews365. "So, what this would convert is a disastrous start to a bad one. It would not convert a bad one to a good one."

ALSO READ: Is Kimi Antonelli the new Senna?

Prevention of Strategic Manipulation

Tombazis revealed that the governing body initially proposed a mandatory drive-through penalty for any driver whose recovery system was activated. However, teams argued that a car requiring the system would already be at a natural disadvantage, rendering additional punishment unnecessary.

"The universal position of all the teams, to completely discourage any funny games, was that in that scenario, it is already out of their control and [they are] definitely in a bad place," Tombazis said. "Therefore, that would not be necessary, and we accepted that."

Nevertheless, the FIA remains vigilant regarding potential exploitation of the software. "But if we see that, for whatever reason, we've missed something, and people started using it for an advantage, then we would, of course, intervene," Tombazis added. "But we don't think that's the case."