Mercedes lived up to all expectations by securing pole position in Melbourne, but the interviews with drivers in the media pen centred on a completely different topic: their first real impressions of the new regulations. And they are - generally speaking - far from positive.
At Bahrain pre-season testing there had already been plenty of criticism, particularly from Max Verstappen, who described the new rules as “Formula E on steroids”. The Red Bull driver added during his Dutch media round that he did not even want to drive the 2026 car in the simulator, something he feels has been confirmed in Australia.
