Formula One 2026: Early season insights, new rules, overtakes and Mercedes dominance

Every time there is a major regulatory change in Formula One, there are the usual voices of resistance, claiming the changes are against the spirit of the sport, diluting what it used to be.

It is odd, considering that technological evolution has been in the sport’s DNA since its inception. The idea that F1 had halcyon days when racing was at its purest is misplaced.

So, heading into the 2026 season, there were the usual concerns, given the drastic overhaul on the engine side, with the hybrid system now mandating 50% electric power. There were fears that the cars would be energy-starved and that the spectacle would diminish.

Two races in, we have had a taste of what the new order looks like, given that the races in Melbourne and Shanghai were at the opposite ends of the energy spectrum. While it is difficult to make sweeping conclusions about how the season will unfold, it is possible to assess what works and what doesn’t. The Hindu takes a look at what we have learnt so far.

Qualifying needs work!

It is often tempting to see things in black and white when the reality is more nuanced. The first race in Australia was always going to be tough. The circuit has fewer braking zones than most others, making energy regeneration difficult. Without access to full power at all times, drivers can’t constantly be in attack mode.

Pecking order: From the evidence of pre-season testing and the first two races, Mercedes is clearly the class of the field. Ferrari is the German marque’s closest challenger.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

Some of those fears did play out, especially in qualifying, where the sight of cars dropping more than 30kmph made the ardent fans squirm in their seats. Qualifying is all about giving it the full beans — new tyres, low fuel and the commitment to push both man and machine to the absolute limit. It is where the new regulations really seem to hurt F1’s image. Even when teams were qualifying on race fuel and tyres in the early 2000s, drivers were largely on the limit. The sport must find a way to make qualifying more challenging and spectacular.

…but the racing hasn’t been bad

The first few laps of the season-opener saw an intense battle between Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell.

Right from pre-season testing, it was evident that the Ferrari is a rocket off the line, thanks to a ‘small’ turbocharger design that delivers power quickly. Leclerc showed that in Melbourne when he took the lead from fourth on the grid, pipping pole-sitter Russell.

Over the next nine laps, the pair traded the lead seven times as the drivers got their heads around how to deploy battery power. A virtual safety car and a divergence in strategy denied fans a longer battle, with Ferrari deciding not to pit its drivers, hanging them out to dry against the Mercedes, which had fresher tyres.

Despite Ferrari’s competitiveness, it was clear that Mercedes had the fastest car. In the end, Russell, once he cleared the Ferrari, cantered to victory ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli.

The race in China further allayed fears around the new cars as Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton were involved in a mighty scrap for third, with the latter winning that battle to secure his maiden GP podium for Ferrari. The pair kept going wheel-to-wheel and even touched a few times. Passing was done in the corners and on braking, which made it more exciting than overtaking on the straights.

Too much of a good thing? The Australian GP featured 120 overtakes, headlined by George Russell and Charles Leclerc’s battle. But too many passes could dilute what is supposed to be memorable and challenging.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

It was an engrossing race, even if pole-sitter Antonelli comfortably scored his maiden GP win. His job became easier after Russell got caught in the Ferrari quagmire and finished second.

A big part of why the racing has been good so far is that the new aero rules, which have made the cars smaller and nimbler, have allowed drivers to follow each other closely without being affected by the turbulent wake from the car ahead.

Overtakes, but the right kind?

After Melbourne, F1 put out a stat saying there were 120 overtakes, almost triple of what happened (45) in the 2025 event. Although it makes for a great headline, it is a flawed metric to assess racing. In fact, too many overtakes could dilute what is supposed to be memorable, exciting, and, importantly, challenging.

The new energy requirements meant a driver would pass, using up all his battery, only to be re-passed soon after when he ran out of power. It was this aspect of racing that many, before the season, feared would mar the spectacle. A part of the Russell vs. Leclerc battle in Melbourne was down to this as the former tried to find the right place to make a move stick and then ensure he stayed ahead. Leclerc even likened it to Mario Kart, the video game — as did Max Verstappen, who was far from impressed with how he sliced through the field to finish sixth despite starting 20th.

Currently, the teams’ knowledge base is limited. Once they get on top of the energy management, it will be interesting to see how things evolve. For now, the overtakes will do, especially for the lead and meaningful positions. But too much of anything can be dangerous.

The driver trade-off

A big question is whether F1 still is the ultimate test of a driver’s skill. Battery management requires some changes in driving technique, which is a challenge. Yet, it’s unclear how much a driver can influence this under normal conditions, given that the engine control unit is mapped to the circuit for energy deployment and much of it is automated.

Glad tidings: Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton can’t have too many complaints about the overhaul. The former registered his maiden win while the latter secured his first GP podium with Ferrari.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

The driver assumes more control when he is in overtake or boost mode, but these gimmicks could alienate fans. In the past, what separated the good from the elite was the ability to find grip where others couldn’t or be brave for that fraction of a second longer. However, now we are seeing drivers go off-throttle through high-speed sections to recharge the battery and use it on the straights. The last thing we want is for these elite athletes to back off in exciting high-speed corners, like Maggots and Becketts at Silverstone or Blanchimont and Pouhon at Spa.

A clearer picture

The first two races have reinforced what we saw in pre-season testing. Mercedes is clearly the class of the field and has enough of an advantage to finish 1-2. Seen in that light, it was important for Antonelli to get his first win. Unless the young Italian prevents his more experienced teammate from running away with the title, the season could quickly lose interest.

Ferrari is the German marque’s closest challenger, and one of the big silver linings has been that the new cars have helped Hamilton rediscover his mojo.

McLaren and Red Bull round out the top four. Audi, after a good start, has slotted alongside Alpine and Haas in the midfield. As expected, the Honda-powered Aston Martin can’t run more than a handful of laps. Worryingly, the car’s vibration is injuring the driver’s wrist and making it unsafe, which needs to be addressed swiftly.