Formula 1 experienced a Monday of strong repercussions after the Australian GP, with criticism of the new regulations, doubts about the calendar, and important movements off the track. The day’s news on F1MANIA.NET showed a category still adapting to the new technical era, while already looking closely at China and also at possible changes for the rest of the season. 
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One of the highlights of the day was Charles Leclerc’s sincerity when analyzing the start in Australia. Despite jumping from fourth position to take the lead at the very first corner, the Ferrari driver stated that the start was “well below ideal,” explaining that his battery was very low and that several drivers suffered from the same problem. The Monegasque also said he even imagined he would drop to P8 or P9 before the race actually began. 
The debate over the new regulations also gained momentum. The first race of the 2026 season received praise from parts of the international press, with publications from Germany, Austria, Italy, and Spain highlighting the balance of the competition, the new strategic dynamics, and the sense of unpredictability brought by the current cars. At the same time, the same regulations continue to be the target of criticism from drivers, with names like Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc questioning some of the new power gain modes. 
This discomfort could lead to changes in the coming weeks. According to a publication by F1MANIA.NET, the 2026 rules will be revised shortly after the Chinese GP, with a focus specifically on energy management. Nikolas Tombazis explained that there was a meeting with the teams after the tests in Bahrain and that the unanimous decision was to maintain the current arrangements for the first races before discussing possible adjustments with more data in hand. 
Another important topic of the day involves the immediate future of the calendar. Formula 1 and the FIA are reportedly close to confirming the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs, amid the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The alternative of replacing the stages with races in Europe, with Italy and Portugal appearing as options, faces logistical difficulties, extra costs, and the short timeframe to organize the entire operation. 
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If the cancellations are made official, the category could face a one-month gap without races in April, as the Sakhir and Jeddah events were scheduled for April 10-12 and 17-19, respectively. The expectation, according to the site, is that this announcement will happen later this week, before the Chinese GP, which increases the feeling that the 2026 season has already entered a moment of strong instability off the track. 
Outside of Formula 1, Max Verstappen also appeared among the day’s topics by confirming that he will compete in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2026 with Verstappen Racing. The Dutchman will race a Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the Nordschleife, in partnership with Winward Racing, and will share the car with Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer. As preparation, the team will also participate in rounds of the Nürburgring-Langstrecken-Serie. 
In the statement published by F1MANIA.NET, Verstappen described Nürburgring as a special place and said that the 24-hour race had been on his bucket list for a long time. The four-time champion also recalled that he earned his DMSB Permit for the Nordschleife in 2025 and pointed to this preparation as fundamental to maximizing performance in the new challenge outside of Formula 1. 
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