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Who will master the next generation of F1 cars?
Many are tipping George Russell to clinch the 2026 title but Verstappen and Norris might have something to say about that
After all the noise over the winter about the new regulations, the moment of reckoning is finally here. And with that, all bets are off!
Melbourne’s Albert Park will reveal the fastest teams and the most efficient drivers this weekend as Formula 1 stands to witness some of the biggest changes in history.
Though F1 went hybrid 12 seasons ago, 2026 will see a massive change in the Power Unit (PU) regulations with the internal combustion engine (ICE) and the electric motor almost producing equal energy (approx 400kW each) to power the cars.
This is a massive shift from the previous generation of cars where 85% of the energy was produced by the ICE with the older, heavier electric motors supplying 15% of the rest.
This has increased the management burden. Till last year, drivers largely had to worry about managing tyres. However, from 2026 onward, they will have the tremendous and arduous job of managing energy. To put this in basic language, the most efficient and not the fastest driver is likely to succeed.
“What you’ll end up getting is that the smart drivers will be successful. Someone like Max (Verstappen), (Fernando) Alonso, George (Russell)... they’re intelligent. (It’ll be about) how you’re going to play the energy game. It’ll favour the smart drivers and engineers,” says F1 pundit and former driver Karun Chandhok.
With the 50-50 split in the PU, there will be a lot of emphasis on managing the electronics: understanding and knowing when to deploy battery power, to blend it with energy produced by ICE, when to use the overtake button or when to deploy the boost. It will not just be about slamming the accelerator hard and zooming past the car in front of you.
That’s what has also drawn the wrath of four-time world champion Verstappen. As purists, racers want to push the cars to their limit and even beyond. But as Verstappen describes it, the new regulations are “anti-racing”, adding that the newer version of F1 feels like “Formula E on steroids”.
“The right word is management. As a driver, the feeling is not very F1-like. But as a pure driver, I enjoy driving flat out. And at the moment, you cannot drive like that. For me, that’s just not Formula 1. Driving-wise, it’s not so fun,” said Verstappen.
If pre-season testing is anything to go by, there are four teams that look the quickest — Mercedes, Ferrari, reigning champions McLaren and Red Bull with the Silver Arrows clearly the fastest. Many in the paddock are tipping George Russell as the favourite to clinch the 2026 title. But he’s playing it cool.
“There’s a lot of chat around us and Mercedes. (I) take it as a compliment. No matter how this weekend goes, it is a 24-race season. A lot can change between now and (the last race in) Abu Dhabi,” said Russell.
With McLaren and Red Bull fighting for the drivers’ title till the last race of 2025, they understandably were late in developing the 2026 car. But they still managed to create an impression that they will be among the fastest.
New world champion Lando Norris is hungry for more. Having lost out on the championship despite leading most of last season, his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri is eager to prove himself more than ever.
And who would bet against Verstappen. Whether he likes the regulations or not, the Dutchman always goes into any race among the contenders. He is undeniably, the biggest shark in the F1 tank.
That leaves us with a certain team called Ferrari. The sport’s oldest, most celebrated team has gone 19 years without winning anything. But they are expected to be competitive.
Imagine what a story it’ll be; Lewis Hamilton winning in red, taking the Prancing Horse back to the top. And it is possible, given the speed and electrical harvesting power the Italian outfit has demonstrated. The big question is — can they maintain that pace through the race, and the season?
The cars may be slower but they are smaller, lighter and accelerate faster. We await to see who emerges the fastest as the lights go out come Sunday.
