2026 Australian Grand Prix: Formula 1 debuts a new style of racing

Formula 1’s 2026 season began in Melbourne after sweeping technical changes produced smaller, lighter cars and hybrid systems with power comparable to the turbo era—though that power is only available when the batteries are charged. Teams moved away from the 2022 ground-effect approach and welcomed several new engine manufacturers, leaving the pecking order unclear.

Mercedes revealed its pace late in practice when George Russell removed ballast and lapped more than six-tenths faster than the next-quickest car. Reliability and unfamiliar hybrid behavior marked the weekend. Max Verstappen crashed in qualifying after the rear axle locked, a failure he described as unlike anything in his career, and Oscar Piastri spun on cold tires when his car delivered ‘‘100 kW more power than he was expecting’’ on the way to the grid.

Australia, Melbourne

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