Oscar Piastri warns of 'big pitfalls' over fresh F1 concern

Oscar Piastri has warned F1 drivers could face “big pitfalls” if they are unable to get on top of their starting procedures this year.

The F1 power units have undergone a significant change for the 2026 season, which has dramatically shifted how the drivers prepare to launch off the line at race starts.

It has created mass uncertainty ahead of the opening round over how the cars will get away at the start, with some manufacturers - most notably Ferrari - showcasing that it has already got its systems into a strong place.

Teams have used the pre-season test to check their procedures, but with a lot of potential still untapped, Piastri acknowledged drivers could find themselves in trouble if they don't optimise the process.

“It's just very random at the moment, and we're all kind of learning what makes a good start, what makes a bad start,” Piastri told media including RacingNews365.

“There are some pretty big pitfalls you can find if you get yourself in trouble. 

“The procedure is one thing, but also just the way we do starts is much more difficult than last year. 

“You've got a lot of power. The MGU-K kicks in at a certain point. It's trickier from every single angle. 

“What we're seeing at the moment is people just getting things right and other people getting them very wrong.”

The opening round of the season takes place in Australia in two weeks' time, followed by trips to China and Japan.

Piastri has predicted that there could be dramatic race starts across the first rounds before teams get on top of their methods.

“Certainly, in the first few races, we could see some starts that look a bit like what we have this week,” he said.

“We'll start to converge, hopefully pretty quickly, if you're on the bad side of that.”