Vasseur: 'Enough is enough' on F1 start rule changes
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- Frederic Vasseur declared 'enough is enough' on F1 start rule changes, saying Ferrari had already compromised with the five-second pre-start procedure and the 'blue light story' that 'didn't help us at all'
- George Russell accused Ferrari of being 'selfish' and 'a little bit silly' ahead of the Chinese GP for blocking further possible changes to F1's starting procedure
- Ferrari's lightning starts have been a feature of the 2026 season so far, with Charles Leclerc taking the lead in Australia and Lewis Hamilton going from third to first by Turn One in China
- Mercedes finished 1-2 in both the season's first two grands prix, with Vasseur acknowledging Ferrari have 'a deficit of performance, mainly in the straight line' that was 'eight tenths off in Melbourne, six tenths on Friday in China, four tenths on Saturday'
- A new engine compression ratio testing rule comes into force from June 1, but Vasseur said he was 'not convinced' it would be 'a gamechanger' for Ferrari's pursuit of Mercedes
- Vasseur pointed to the season's first Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) window, due after the sixth round, as a more meaningful chance to 'close the gap' through energy management and chassis improvements
Why it matters: Ferrari's stance means the five-second pre-start procedure stays in place despite rivals' complaints, preserving a clear competitive edge — Hamilton and Leclerc converted strong starts into Turn One leads in both 2026 races. Vasseur's acknowledgment of a straight-line deficit to Mercedes, though shrinking weekend-to-weekend (0.8s to 0.4s), frames the championship fight as one Ferrari must answer on chassis and tyres, not just engine performance.
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