Lando Norris and Max Verstappen have led the criticism of Formula 1’s new cars following a difficult debut qualifying session at the Australian Grand Prix.
The sport’s new regulation era began in Melbourne but was immediately met with savage feedback regarding the drivability of the 2026 machinery.
Drivers expressed frustration after a qualifying hour that many felt failed to showcase the future of the sport.
Norris, the defending world champion, described the vehicles as the “worst” he has experienced during his time on the grid.
“We’ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1 and the nicest to drive to probably the worst,” said Norris.
“It sucks, but you have to live with it and just maximise what you get given. It’s certainly different. It’s certainly not like it was last year.”
Power unit problems
While the aerodynamic aesthetics of the new generation have been praised, the frustration stems from the overhauled power units.
New regulations demand a 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power, forcing drivers to manage battery levels extensively.
This focus on energy management often comes at the expense of cornering speed and overall rhythm.
Footage from Friday practice showed cars losing power at full throttle on straights as hybrid systems switched to energy recovery modes.
These increased electrical elements were pivotal in persuading Audi to enter the sport as a manufacturer but remain unpopular in the cockpit.
‘No emotion’ in driving
Verstappen was equally scathing about the experience, suggesting he felt “no emotion” inside the car throughout the weekend.
The four-time title holder has previously hinted he would walk away from Formula 1 if the enjoyment factor disappeared.
“I am not having fun at all driving them,” Verstappen said.
The Red Bull driver had previously compared the handling of the new machinery to the all-electric Formula E series “on steroids”.
Norris, who secured the final title of the previous ground-effect era in 2025, struggled to find any positives when questioned by the media.
When asked if there was any aspect of the new car he enjoyed, the Briton paused for several seconds before simply replying: “No, not really.”
Max Verstappen has revealed he told late Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz of his intention to remain with the team “forever” shortly before the Austrian’s death.
The four-time world champion has opened up on his deep sense of loyalty to the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Despite intense speculation linking him with a move to Mercedes, the Dutchman has reaffirmed his commitment to the team where he secured his title success.
His current contract runs until the end of the 2028 season, by which time he will have spent over a decade with the constructors.
A promise to Mateschitz
The 28-year-old disclosed a sentimental pact made with Mateschitz before the businessman passed away in 2022.
Verstappen told The Times: “It’s always been the intention. I remember when Dietrich was still alive… I told him my dream – and his dream – was that I would stay here forever, as long as my career lasts.”
The former Toro Rosso graduate admitted that fulfilling that shared vision remains a primary motivation in his career.
“I’m very happy that before he passed away, I said that my intention is still to fulfil that dream, and so far that is going quite well,” he added.
Loyalty over performance
While Red Bull have faced turbulence with key personnel departing, their lead driver insists stability is crucial to his mindset.
Verstappen emphasised that feeling comfortable in his environment often outweighs the pursuit of pure performance elsewhere.
“I stayed loyal to the team for a long time; they know that loyalty, for me, is a very big thing, and that’s not always a given in Formula 1,” he explained.
“You always try to build the strongest team around you, but when you have a lot of success, it’s normal that people get poached and people leave, that’s how sport works.”
Life after Formula 1
Despite his long-term commitment, the prolific race winner has also hinted that his time in the sport may not extend far beyond his current deal.
Speaking to the Up To Speed podcast, he expressed frustration with upcoming regulations and a desire to prioritise life outside the paddock.
“I definitely see myself nearing the end,” he admitted.
“I want to live my life; you only live once, and I don’t want to spend 25 years driving a car.”
Verstappen is set to enter his 13th season in F1 in 2026, continuing a significant era of dominance with the energy drink giant.
Ferrari hope to exploit Formula 1’s revised race start procedures to challenge a Mercedes front-row lockout as a new era begins at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 2026 season opener features completely overhauled chassis and aerodynamic regulations.
However, revised hybrid engines have created a new variable for the 58-lap contest in Melbourne.
New demands on drivers
Drivers must now rev their engines higher and for longer before the lights go out compared to previous seasons.
To accommodate this technical shift, the FIA has introduced a five-second ‘pre-start’ procedure following the formation lap.
Pre-season favourites Mercedes secured the front row in qualifying with George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli.
Yet Ferrari believe their specific engine architecture could offer a crucial getaway advantage off the line.
Leclerc eyes launch opportunity
Charles Leclerc starts fourth, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton lining up seventh.
The Scuderia’s power unit features a smaller turbo than their rivals, allowing it to spin up faster to the required level.
“It is kind of easy for us to reach that optimal window for the start,” Leclerc told Sky Sports F1.
“I believe it is harder for others to reach that optimum window, so it might be more tricky for them.”
The Monegasque driver dismissed suggestions of the chaotic scenes witnessed during testing in Bahrain.
However, he remains confident that finding the performance sweet spot will be simpler for the Italian team.
Button predicts turn one drama
Former world champion Jenson Button believes the run to the first corner could be decisive.
Button noted that the Maranello-based squad showed a distinct advantage off the line during winter testing.
“The start is going to be exciting,” said Button. “They could be five abreast into Turn One.”
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar shares the second row with Leclerc, adding further intrigue to the sprint down to the first braking zone.
If rivals execute their procedures perfectly, Leclerc admits the performance gap will narrow significantly.
Max Verstappen has crashed out of qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix in a shock start to the new Formula 1 season.
The four-time world champion spun his Red Bull at Turn 1 midway through the opening session in Melbourne.
Verstappen bounced across the gravel trap before hitting the wall, ending his participation in Q1.
It means the Dutchman will start from the back of the grid for Sunday’s race.
‘Fantastic’ frustration for champion
Verstappen emerged from the cockpit unhurt but was immediately vocal about technical issues over the team radio.
The incident occurred as he applied the brakes, causing the car to snap unexpectedly.
“The car just f***ing locked the rear axles. Fantastic.”
Max Verstappen via team radio
Struggles with new era
This dramatic exit marks a turbulent beginning to Formula 1’s latest technical era.
The Red Bull driver has already been a vocal critic of the sport’s new cars.
Drivers are facing a complicated new driving style due to the increased emphasis on battery management within the revised hybrid engines.
Formula 1 has confirmed a sweeping set of regulation changes for the 2026 season, introducing active aerodynamics and a revised qualifying format to accommodate an expanded grid.
The sport is preparing for one of the most significant technical overhauls in its history.
Regulations have been updated to reflect the arrival of General Motors brand Cadillac, bringing the field to 11 teams and 22 cars.
Active aerodynamics replace DRS
The traditional Drag Reduction System (DRS) will be retired in favour of a new active aerodynamic setup.
Cars will feature adjustable front and rear wings that transition between two distinct configurations.
Drivers will utilise ‘Z-Mode’ to generate maximum downforce through corners.
On designated straights, they can switch to a low-drag ‘X-Mode’ regardless of their proximity to other competitors.
To facilitate wheel-to-wheel action, a ‘Manual Override’ function has been introduced.
When within one second of the car ahead, a driver can deploy an additional burst of electrical energy to maintain high speeds for longer than their rival.
Engine overhaul and sustainable fuels
The 2026 power units have been redesigned to deliver an equal split between internal combustion and electrical power.
Complex heat recovery systems, known as the MGU-H, have been removed from the regulations.
To compensate, the output of the kinetic energy recovery system (MGU-K) has been tripled.
The FIA has also revised start procedures to allow drivers to build engine revs, countering potential turbo lag caused by the removal of the MGU-H.
Environmental sustainability remains a priority, with all cars running on 100% sustainable ‘drop-in’ fuel.
This fuel is derived from non-food sources or atmospheric carbon capture and functions without requiring combustion chamber redesigns.
Qualifying format adjusted for 22 cars
The expansion of the grid to 22 cars has necessitated changes to the knockout qualifying format.
Six drivers will now be eliminated at the end of both Q1 and Q2, an increase from the previous five.
This ensures that the final pole position shootout remains a battle between the top 10 cars.
The duration of Q3 has also been extended to 13 minutes.
This change provides teams with additional time to recharge batteries between flying laps, preventing the session from feeling rushed.
Max Verstappen has received FIA permission to race with the number three this season after reigning world champion Lando Norris elected to use the number one on his McLaren.
The Red Bull driver has been forced to relinquish the number one plate he carried for the previous four years following his championship defeat to Norris.
McLaren’s Norris, who secured his maiden Formula 1 title last year, confirmed in December he would exercise his right to swap his customary number four for the champion’s number one.
While drivers are not obliged to carry the number one, the regulations allow the reigning champion exclusive rights to the digit for the duration of their title defence.
Returning to a favourite
Consequently, the Dutchman has opted to revert to his favourite number, three, rather than the number 33 he used prior to his first title triumph in 2021.
However, this required special dispensation from the FIA as the number was previously utilized by Daniel Ricciardo.
Formula 1 sporting regulations stipulate a racing number must remain dormant for two consecutive seasons before it can be reallocated to another competitor.
Since it has been fewer than two years since the Australian’s final race, Verstappen had to seek approval from both the governing body and his former team-mate.
“It won’t be number 33. My favourite number has always been three, apart from number one,” Verstappen told Viaplay.
“We can now swap, so it’ll be number three. The rules state that a number isn’t available until it hasn’t been used for two consecutive seasons.”
“Number 33 was always fine, but I just like one three better than two. I always said it represented double luck, but I’ve already had my luck in Formula One.”
New numbers for the new season
Verstappen becomes only the second driver to race under the number three since the personalised numbering system was introduced in 2014.
Aside from the reshuffle at the front of the grid, the majority of returning drivers have retained their existing identities for the new campaign.
Valtteri Bottas will continue his long association with number 77, while Sergio Perez remains faithful to number 11, a tribute to former footballer Ivan Zamorano.
The grid’s sole rookie, British teenager Arvid Lindblad, has selected number 41 for his debut season.
The newcomer explained that the digits were chosen as they visually resemble his initials, ‘AL’, making him the first driver to race with the number in the modern era.
Tyler Reddick could become the first driver in NASCAR history to win the opening four races of a season when the Cup Series heads to Phoenix Raceway this Sunday.
The 23XI Racing driver has enjoyed a flawless start to the 2026 campaign, securing victory in the first three events of the year.
Having already taken the chequered flag at the Daytona 500, Atlanta and the Circuit of the Americas, he now stands on the brink of an unprecedented achievement.
Since the sport’s top level launched in 1949, no competitor has ever commenced a season with four consecutive triumphs.
Phoenix poses distinct challenge
The Toyota pilot, driving for the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, faces a different test on the one-mile flat layout in Arizona.
While the No. 45 car has conquered superspeedways and road courses this term, historical form at this venue suggests a difficult task ahead.
In 12 previous starts at Phoenix, the Californian has recorded an average finish of 17.8, securing just two top-five results.
However, recent form has defied statistics, with his victories at Daytona and Atlanta coming despite modest previous averages at those tracks.
Chasing legends of the sport
By winning the first three rounds, the 23XI star has already separated himself from historical benchmarks set by legendary figures.
While teams like DePaolo Engineering in 1957 and Petty Enterprises in 1963 swept the opening three events, those victories were shared between team-mates.
Richard Petty, the seven-time champion, famously won 10 consecutive races during the 1967 season.
Yet even ‘The King’ never managed to open a championship crusade with four straight wins, highlighting the rarity of the air Reddick now occupies.
George Russell says watching Lando Norris celebrate his maiden Formula 1 world championship has “fuelled” his desire to emulate his compatriot in 2026.
The Mercedes driver enters this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix as the bookmakers’ favourite to claim the drivers’ crown.
Russell admitted he consciously stayed in his car following the 2025 season finale in Abu Dhabi to witness the scenes as his long-time friend secured the trophy.
“I watched Lando celebrate and I sat in my car as I pulled in from the pits in Abu Dhabi,” said Russell.
“I wanted to watch because I thought that would fuel me more, and I think it has.”
Mercedes primed for title charge
While the 28-year-old is tipped for individual glory, the Silver Arrows are also aiming to secure their first Constructors’ Championship since 2021.
This season marks the Briton’s fifth year with the Brackley-based outfit and his eighth campaign in the sport.
Russell believes the team has done everything possible to prepare for the new regulation cycle.
“I feel ready to give it everything and that’s ultimately all we can do,” added Russell.
“We don’t know what will happen but I know I’m giving it everything and my team are giving it everything.”
Norris plays down defence chances
The pair have battled on track since their junior karting days and frequently exchange playful barbs in the media.
Despite entering the new campaign as the defending champion, Norris was quick to shift the pressure onto his rival’s team.
When asked about the title picture, the McLaren driver insisted Mercedes should be considered the team to beat.
“Mercedes have looked very good but it’s a very long year, so I’m not getting ahead of myself,” Norris told Sky Sports.
The 26-year-old also faced questions regarding Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who partners Russell this year following the team’s lineup changes.
“You never know! Just saying Mercedes are [favourites],” Norris joked.