FAQ – Ask us your questions about the first F1 weekend of the season in Melbourne

The Circus of the Formula 1 is back at the beginning of March! As is now customary, F1 has set up shop in Melbourne, Australia, for its very first Grand Prix of the year. A true event in more ways than one this season, this weekend will be an opportunity for both drivers and fans to discover a new hierarchy, as well as new teams and new procedures during the sessions. So, before we find out who, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris or, Max Verstappen will be in the lead at the first corner of the Australian Grand Prix, follow the live commentary of the events at Albert Park.

Ask our journalists your questions about this first F1 weekend of 2026 via the comments section and we will answer you to provide you with all the information useful for understanding these new F1 features.

F1 – Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne)
Ask our journalists your questions about the first F1 Grand Prix of the year

🏁 Sunday, March 8

❓ Question from Daniel: "Does the rear wing of Classic Ferrari for sale Has it been used again since Bahrain? And will it be used during the season?

💬 For now, we haven't seen this very specific movable rear wing observed on the car Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain! Nicknamed "Macarena" by Frédéric Vasseur himself, this method could, however, return in the next few Grands Prix. It's worth noting that Ferrari might not be the only team to have considered using this wing configuration, which, according to initial estimates, allows them to gain a few tenths of a second per lap.

🏁Saturday, March 7

❓ Question from Hervé 06: "Providing 50% of the power from energy recovery during deceleration and braking is physically impossible. Therefore, the internal combustion engines must be run faster to provide energy that will be delivered as electricity a few seconds later. Isn't the 50-50 marketing claim misleading, since a significant portion of the electrical energy is directly supplied by the internal combustion engine?"

???? The new powertrains still deliver 1000 horsepower (750 kW), now sourced from multiple sources. The MGU-K's output has increased from 160 hp (120 kW) to 470 hp (350 kW). The power output of the internal combustion engine portion of the powertrain has been reduced from 850 hp (630 kW) to 540 hp (400 kW).

In the 2026 regulations, the FIA ​​no longer limits fuel consumption by mass in kg (100 kg in previous years), but by an input energy flow limited to 3000 MJ/h. Based on a thermal efficiency of the energy flow estimated at around 48-50% in F1, the internal combustion engine therefore delivers approximately 400 kW of power (around 544 horsepower).

On the other hand, the energy recovered per lap by the MGU-K is limited to 9 MJ, while the energy delivered by the MGU-K to the wheels is capped at 4 MJ per lap. Therefore, kinetic energy recovery alone (MGU-K) is insufficient to consistently achieve the 350 kW (approximately 475 horsepower provided by the electric power unit, as per article C5.2.7 of the technical regulations) over a lap.

Therefore, some of the 3000 MJ/h will be used to meet the shortfall. This means that some of the fuel burned is used to generate electricity. From a purely physical standpoint, oil remains the primary energy source for a large portion of electricity.

But even if the internal combustion engine produces electricity, the efficiency of an electric system remains higher than that of purely thermal propulsion. With new sustainable fuels, 3000 MJ of energy, given that gasoline has a calorific value estimated at around 42 to 44 MJ/kg, results in a fuel consumption of nearly 70 kg. The goal is to achieve a reduction in fuel consumption (from approximately 100 kg to approximately 70 kg). The "50/50" figure therefore represents a target for power delivered to the wheels, not necessarily an indicator of the source of the stored energy.

Ask us your questions about the current weekend in the comments section and our journalists will answer you!

🏁 Friday, March 6

❓ Question from Yves-Henri Randier: "Since the 107% rule is still applicable, does theAston Martin Liberty Media could nevertheless be at the start of the Grand Prix, even though its two vibrating cars wouldn't have qualified on the track, thanks to a waiver from the FIA? Liberty Media must not be very pleased with the current performance of the Stroll Racing… »

???? Indeed, Yves-Henri, for the first time in years, a team might not even start the F1 Grand Prix due to a lack of performance. Aston Martin will have to be mindful of the 107% rule during Saturday's qualifying session. The Honda engine is struggling to be both powerful and reliable, while the vibrations it produces are a cause for concern for Adrian Newey and his team regarding the chassis's integrity, as well as the physical well-being of his drivers. They are currently nearly five, if not six, seconds off the fastest times set on Friday. Fernando Alonso And can Lance Stroll really fail to clear this barrier? It's a question that has been asked since the pre-season tests in Bahrain.

The rule now applies to the best time set in Q1, not pole position, which could save Aston Martin. If both drivers still finish outside this limit, a reprieve is still possible. The most recent example is Lance Stroll in F1. At the 2021 French Grand Prix, the Canadian was caught out by red flags in Q1, unable to set a time, but was still able to start the race. The stewards ruled that this scenario fell under the list of exceptions. Will this be the case this Saturday if the Aston Martins are outside the 107% limit? It's far from certain, as this time it would be a question of performance…

❓ Question from Jacques Gaillez: "Hello. Will the boost make it easier for drivers to attempt an overtake before corners that were previously less conducive to close racing, such as before Mirabeau, Bruxelles, Pouhon?"

💬 In 2026, boost mode will primarily allow chasing drivers to benefit from extra acceleration at the end of the straight, where the leader will quickly reach its limit, thus facilitating overtaking. Regarding the corners you mentioned at Spa, boost will theoretically be quite ineffective at Mirabeau. This corner is short and taken slowly, so traction will be more important than engine power. However, on the climb to Pouhon, a chasing driver who decides to activate their boost behind another driver who is recharging could gain an advantage. Keep in mind, though, that while boost will help drivers close the gap, active aerodynamics and a sufficiently quick transition to "corner" mode will determine whether a driver has enough downforce to finish the job!
Like everything else concerning this new regulation, it will depend on many parameters related to preparation before the turn, in short.

🏁Thursday, March 5

💬 Throughout the weekend, feel free to ask us your questions in the comments. We'll answer them to help you get a clearer picture of what to expect from the paddock events in Melbourne.