Formula 1’s new technical rules for 2026 have come under question following the Australian GP, held at Albert Park. Despite Mercedes’ one-two finish, with a victory for George Russell and second place for Kimi Antonelli, the race raised concerns about battery management and the dynamics considered artificial in the battles.
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Some drivers openly criticized the behavior of the cars. Lando Norris described the race as “too exaggerated” and “chaos,” while Esteban Ocon stated that the race was “artificial.” Norris also warned of speed differences of up to 50 km/h on the straights when some drivers accumulate battery energy.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stated that the category can make changes if necessary: “I haven’t heard any of the drivers speaking particularly positively about the latest cars or saying they were the best cars. So, we tend to be very nostalgic when we look at past events. But clearly, we are all stakeholders in the sport. Need to have a great spectacle, the best cars in the world, the best drivers, and something exciting for the fans. That’s why we need to look at the product.”
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He continued: One perspective is the drivers’ view, which is important. But Stefano [Domenicali] would say that the only metric that matters to him is whether the fans like it. That’s what we need to look at. And if it needs to be adjusted, if we need to modify it, I think we have the flexibility in Formula 1 to always make those decisions.”
Williams boss James Vowles also spoke on the matter and admitted that changes are already being studied by the category for the upcoming races.
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