Overview
- Mercedes have won all three opening races with George Russell and 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli, securing every front-row lockout and building a clear lead over Ferrari.
- Drivers and fans say the 2026 cars feel dull to drive because strict energy use forces heavy saving and “clipping,” which can cut about 50 km/h near the end of straights.
- After Oliver Bearman’s high speed gap with a rival raised safety concerns, the FIA moved to use safety powers that allow mid-season rule changes without full team consent.
- Ferrari is testing an electric rear-wing opener that creates a bigger gap for less drag, but it operates too slowly and unsettles the SF-26, so race use is paused pending April runs at Monza.
- The pecking order is shifting, with an official F1 review praising Alpine’s three-race points streak and Red Bull’s Laurent Mekies linking his team’s slump to 2025 carryover work, making Miami the next measure of who adapts fastest.