McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has identified four major concerns about the 2026 Formula 1 power unit regulations following discussions at the F1 Commission meeting. The issues range from race starts to energy management and a new straight mode feature that allows aerodynamic drag reduction. Stella initially outlined three concerns during Bahrain pre-season testing but revealed a fourth issue emerged during the commission discussions.

Race starts have become problematic without the MGU-H system, requiring drivers to rev engines for 10 seconds to spool up turbos. This creates potential anti-stall situations and disadvantages for cars at the back of the grid. The F1 community has already addressed this through testing various start procedures. Energy harvesting remains contentious, with lift-and-coast maneuvers becoming necessary on energy-starved tracks, prompting Max Verstappen to criticize the approach as "Formula E on steroids."

The straight mode feature, which adjusts front and rear wing angles to reduce drag, sparked debate about its use from grid to first corner. While the paddock generally agreed not to use it in this situation, Stella noted ongoing disparities in start performance across teams. McLaren tested increasing the superclip from 250kW to 350kW to potentially eliminate lift-and-coast requirements, though final decisions rest with the FIA.