Overview
- McLaren says it is puzzled by the scale of Mercedes’ advantage despite sharing the power unit, citing gaps in energy‑deployment know‑how and planning closer collaboration with HPP after a Melbourne deficit of roughly 0.5–1.0 seconds per lap.
- Alpine reported a lap‑down finish and said it “would have liked more” from the customer switch but does not blame the engine, while Williams noted being caught out by Mercedes’ power‑unit exploitation in qualifying.
- A start‑line near‑miss when Franco Colapinto swerved around a slow‑launching Liam Lawson renewed concerns over revised procedures; despite an added five‑second pre‑start hold, McLaren’s Andrea Stella urged further steps to cut large speed differentials.
- Drivers remain split on the 2026 format, with Lando Norris and Max Verstappen warning about safety and drivability as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell counseled patience; Toto Wolff said fan reception is the key metric as F1 reported 120 overtakes versus 45 in 2025.
- Ferrari judged its race pace a truer reflection of form after a tough qualifying and strong starts, but its choice not to pit under a VSC proved costly in Melbourne, with team boss Fred Vasseur expecting different challenges at this weekend’s Shanghai sprint event.