The new era of Formula One began with drama, overtakes, and controversy at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, where the sport’s sweeping 2026 regulations immediately split opinion across the paddock.
A race featuring around 120 overtakes delivered intense on-track action, including a fiery early duel between George Russell and Charles Leclerc that saw the lead change seven times in just nine laps.
Russell eventually claimed victory for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team at Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit, finishing ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc secured third place for Scuderia Ferrari, while Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in fourth.
Yet the spectacle quickly triggered debate about how the new rules are shaping racing.
Energy deployment shapes the battle
The 2026 regulations place greater emphasis on electrical energy from the new hybrid power units. Drivers must carefully manage when and where they deploy energy during a lap, often producing large differences in straight-line speed.
That dynamic was evident in the Russell-Leclerc fight. Russell repeatedly surged past the Ferrari driver on the straights, only for Leclerc to reclaim the position on the following lap by activating Overtake Mode, which allows a car within one second of a rival to use extra energy for a higher top speed.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur said the early laps offered something rarely seen in recent years.
“Honestly, the first 10 laps of the race, I’m not sure that I saw something like this in the last 10 years,” Vasseur said.
“We have to keep this in mind, but it’s not a given how it will be like this on the weekend. It’s a very good start for the sport, a very good start for the show.
“The fans, they enjoy probably a lot of the opening stage, but let’s continue like this. If we have to react at one stage after a couple of races, we will react, but it would be a mistake to do it too quickly.”
Drivers divided over “artificial” racing
Not everyone in the paddock was convinced.
Reigning champion Lando Norris and Esteban Ocon were among those who criticised the style of racing, describing it as “artificial”. Toto Wolff acknowledged that the current regulations can create situations where cars running closely struggle to pull away.
“How the regulations are at the moment is that in a close fight, close proximity to other cars, it’s very difficult to break free,” Wolff said, adding, “Therefore, performances converge, which makes it exciting if it were really to continue like this. Once you have free air, then the pace shows. But both components are part of a great race.”
Verstappen renews criticism of the rules
Concerns about the 2026 regulations are not new. Max Verstappen has been vocal about the direction of the rules since they were first announced in 2022.
During pre-season testing he described the new cars as feeling like “Formula E on steroids”, a reference to the heavy reliance on energy management. Drivers now often “lift and coast” near the end of straights to recharge batteries before deploying extra electrical power when exiting corners.
Verstappen, who recovered from 20th on the grid to finish sixth after a crash in qualifying, repeated his concerns after the race. “I love racing, but you can only take so much,” he said.
“I know that they’re, well, I think they’re willing to listen, the FIA and F1, but I just hope that there is some action because it’s not that I’m the only one saying it – a lot of people are speaking the same.
“If it’s drivers, fans, we just want the best for the sport. It’s not that we are critical just to be critical. We are critical for a reason; we want it to be Formula 1, you know, proper Formula 1 on steroids. Today, of course, again, that was not the case.”
Norris, who had earlier dismissed Verstappen’s concerns during testing, also appeared less convinced after the opening race. “It’s a shame, it’s very artificial,” Norris said, adding, “Depending on what the power unit decides to do and randomly does at times, you just get overtaken by five cars, or you can just do nothing about it sometimes.”
Hamilton upbeat as others urge patience
Hamilton, however, offered a contrasting view. The seven-time world champion, who had often criticised the previous generation of ground-effect cars used between 2022 and 2025, said he enjoyed the new style of racing.
“I personally loved it. The race was really fun to drive. The car was really, really fun to drive. I watched the cars ahead, and there was good battling back and forth,” he said.
“It was awesome. With 20 cars ahead of you, it may have seemed different. But from my position, I thought it was great.”
Russell and Leclerc both described the racing as “different”, while the Mercedes driver urged patience, pointing out that the characteristics of each circuit will influence how the regulations play out.
“The interesting thing with these regs is every track we go to, they’re not always going to be like this,” Russell said.
“We’re going to Shanghai next, where you’ve got one big, long straight, so the majority of drivers will be using their energy on that one straight. You don’t need to divide it up between four like you do here in Melbourne.
“Everyone’s very quick to criticise things. You need to give it a shot.”
For now, the opening race has achieved one thing: it has ensured the sport’s new era has started with both spectacle and a lively debate about where Formula One goes next.
