The Australian GP, the first round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, marked the beginning of a new regulatory era in the category and generated varied reactions in the international press, but mostly praise. Outlets from different countries pointed out both the balance of the battles and the dominance of some teams, such as Mercedes, which started the year with a victory for George Russell and a podium for Kimi Antonelli.
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In Germany, the home country of the team managed by Toto Wolff, the newspaper Bild especially highlighted the duel between Charles Leclerc and George Russell during the race in Melbourne. According to the publication: “The lead goes back and forth between the Monegasque and the Briton, changing hands several times. New rules, new excitement!”.
In Austria, Krone Zeitung assessed that Mercedes started the season with clear superiority over its rivals. The newspaper wrote: “Mercedes secured a dominant one-two at the start of Formula 1’s new regulatory era. Leclerc, with Hamilton right behind, set lap times similar to Mercedes in the final stages, but the rest of the grid was already far behind the two top teams. Norris finished 51 seconds behind, Verstappen 54. All other drivers were lapped,” they conclude.
In Italy, the mood was one of optimism after the race. La Gazzetta dello Sport highlighted Kimi Antonelli’s podium and Ferrari’s good performance, assessing that the new regulations brought more dynamics to the battles. The newspaper wrote: “A dominant Mercedes, a solid Ferrari, and a new set of regulations that certainly provided action on the track and also shuffled the competitive order.”
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The Italian publication also analyzed the young driver’s performance: “The Italian driver then fought his way back thanks to a W17 that proved to be the best single-seater on the grid. However, the Ferrari managed to make life difficult for itself, and that is good news for Italian fans.”
In Spain, the daily MARCA highlighted the unpredictability of the category’s new phase. “This is the new Formula 1… the fun is back. The most uncertain era in the history of the premier category of motorsport opened with a Grand Prix to remember. Battles, problems, and strategic wars converged. Although it may not have the mystique of the 80s or 90s, it is an F1 that promises to excite,” the newspaper wrote.
Despite the praise, the new regulations are being heavily criticized by drivers, who claim limitations in the new cars. Some of them, such as four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, even compared the new power gain modes to the game “Mario Kart.”
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