Oscar Piastri expresses serious safety concerns ahead of the Formula 1 season opener at Albert Park in Melbourne on March 8. The McLaren driver fears that the new low-downforce cars, untested in race conditions, could lead to chaos during the start.

Challenges with New Car Regulations

Following a productive testing day in Bahrain, where Piastri completed 161 laps and finished fourth quickest behind a Mercedes one-two topped by Kimi Antonelli, the 24-year-old Australian highlighted multiple issues. He noted that the revised F1 cars, rules, and regulations for 2026 demand urgent attention before the Australian Grand Prix.

‘Starts need to be addressed because it’s a pretty complicated process now to have a safe start, let alone a competitive one,’ Piastri stated after the final pre-season testing session at Sakhir.

He warned of potential hazards with overtaking and the use of straight mode at the start. ‘A pack of 22 cars with a couple hundred points less downforce sounds like a recipe for disaster to me,’ he added. ‘Everyone’s going to need different things for the start, and I’m not sure any of us know exactly what we need yet. So many things from a safety point of view need to be figured out on track.’

Chaotic Practice Start

Piastri spoke after drivers conducted a practice start that turned chaotic due to miscommunication, not issues with the new power units. The Australian explained that he waited for the car ahead before launching, unlike others who proceeded differently. His McLaren failed to get away cleanly as a result.

Team Performance Insights

Piastri offered a cautious assessment of the testing pecking order, where McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari appeared strongest. ‘It looks like the top-four teams are still the top-four teams, but I don’t know where exactly we sit,’ he said.

Mercedes’ George Russell, second quickest on the final day ahead of Ferrari’s third-placed Lewis Hamilton, described Red Bull’s pace as ‘pretty scary,’ with Max Verstappen fifth. Red Bull countered by praising Mercedes’ impressive showing as pre-race mind games intensify ahead of Melbourne.