It’s fair to surmise that the overwhelming consensus regarding the all-new for 2026 50/50 split Formula One power-units is far from positive, following the first qualifying session of the season in Melbourne.
George Russell took a commanding pole position, ahead of Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli to confirm what had been speculated pre-season – that the Silver Arrows would be in a class of their own to start 2026.
Though comments from his rivals laid bare the glaring issues, regarding the challenges of energy management and the super clipping that is felt on the limit and well before braking zones.
“I’m definitely not having fun at all with these cars,” let rip four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who had also crashed out sensationally in Q1 after losing the rear of his Red Bull prior to the Turn 1 braking zone.
“There is nothing that you can do,” the Dutchman opined on short term improvements.
“You can only make it slower and then of course you get a bit more of a normal speed trace – but it’s a slower speed trace.
“The formula is just not correct. And that is something that is a bit harder to change. But I think we need to.”
Verstappen’s feedback has been the loudest in terms of consistency from the pre-season, with some concluding that the 28-year old may even walk away from the sport if his dissatisfaction continue.
Though after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, several drivers echoed Verstappen’s sentiments – including teammate Isack Hadjar who qualified third. Agreeing that ‘he’s not a fan’.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris went as far as saying F1 has gone from having the best cars ever, to the worst.
“It’s just the fact it’s a 50/50 split and it just doesn’t work. Straight-Line mode means you’ve got a lot of other issues at hand,” said Norris.
“You decelerate so much before corners, you have to lift everywhere to make sure the [battery] pack’s at the top.
“If the pack’s too high, you’re also screwed. It’s just difficult, but it’s what we have. It doesn’t feel good as a driver, but I’m sure George is smiling. You’ve just got to maximise what you’re going to give him.”
“We’ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula One and the nicest to drive to probably the worst. It sucks, but you have to live with it.”
Antonelli meanwhile offered a more pragmatic thought, which would make sense given Mercedes’ imperious pace. However, conceded to the same sentiment as his contemporaries on the power-unit.
“On the PU side, it’s very tricky, but it’s also part of the game. That’s why the teams that are able to get it first, especially on energy management on this kind of track, can make the difference. So yeah, it’s part of it, but I think the car itself to drive is very nice.”
The big question now is how the drivers will navigate energy management across the 58-laps of the grand prix and whether F1 can spare itself a farcically chaotic proceeding, before heading to a characteristically different circuit next weekend in China.
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