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Formula 2 has "improved" its car's start procedure after its troubled 2018 season, according to drivers following tests of the modified system recently.

Last year's F2 season was plagued by problems with getting the new-for-2018 car off the line, with over 15 stalls recorded in the first two rounds alone.

Eventual champion and 2019 Williams Formula 1 driver George Russell described the situation as "absolutely woeful" at the end of the year.

After six days of pre-season testing at Jerez and Barcelona, drivers reported a much improved starting system aboard the F2 2018 machine.

F2 organisers declined to comment when asked by Autosport to outline what had been changed.

But Autosport understands that as well as making changes to how the start procedure works, the championship has mandated gear ratios for 2019.

A shorter first gear has reportedly helped with the lack of torque low down, which was a factor in the 2018 issues.

"It's an improved system," said Carlin driver Louis Deletraz.

"I never stalled on a start last year, but it was difficult.

"I have to say they worked on it over the winter and now the clutch pedal on the steering wheel is about a centimetre longer so you have a lot more travel.

"That makes it less sensitive and more progressive.

"It's not overshooting anymore and that's a big step forward.

"Gear ratios are fixed for 2019, the first gear is a lot shorter than last year so you have more torque.

"All the small things together help a lot because honestly the system is a lot better and I have to say 'good job' to F2 for that. They made our life easier."

McLaren test and development driver Sergio Sette Camara, who is racing for DAMS this year, added: "I did a lot of starts, you could all the time hear guys going to the end of the pitlane and the revs rising.

"We worked a lot on it.

"They put a shorter first gear in all of the cars, we have more torque.

"I think I stalled once.

"It felt good. The technique has changed as before we had a lack of power and now we have an excess of power.

"Starts on the grid will be different in the race [than in testing]."

F2's 2018 problems reached the point where the FIA dictated that the series used a safety car rolling start for two rounds in July - at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone - until the issue was resolved.

The series brought an update for the next round in Hungary with a new clutch basket and software, which proved successful until the last round of the season where multiple stalls were blamed on the hotter conditions and the increased grip of the supersoft tyres in Abu Dhabi.