FIA reveals new technical rules: F1 cars to start with key in '26

The FIA has announced more details about the technical regulations that the F1 cars of 2026 must comply with. Most notably, a feature has been introduced to ensure that drivers who stall their cars can quickly get back on track by themselves. It has been decided that from 2026, F1 cars will start with a key in the ignition.

If a driver stalls on the starting grid or somewhere on the track, it will be easier for them to recover. Furthermore, according to the FIA, this is also safer for the trackside stewards. They no longer need to go onto the circuit to recover a car, as it can essentially drive away.

Toto Wolff strong advocate for starting with key

Currently, F1 cars are started with a special starting device. These expensive devices will also disappear from Formula 1 by 2026, providing cost savings for the teams.

The introduction of the traditional key in the ignition has been a long-standing wish of various team principals. Toto Wolff from Mercedes is understood to have been a supporter of this innovative way to start cars for years. It is rumored that the Austrian has pushed the FIA to include this feature in the technical regulations for 2026.

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