With Williams having performed their own shakedown after missing the week in Barcelona, each of the teams now have some kind of idea how the all new Formula One racing era will play out. Yet the noises coming from the drivers and engineers is sending mixed messages over the actual spectacle the new regulations will deliver.
Lewis Hamilton who endured his worst ever season in F1 following his move to Ferrari is positive about the new cars and powertrains claiming “its actually a little bit more fun to drive”.
“Everyone’s positive and incredibly enthusiastic,” he revealed after the week in Barcelona. “I mean, we’re under no illusions. We know we’ve got work to do. Mercedes have done great running as well. I think Red Bull and Haas did some great running as well, so we don’t really know where we are, but I think it’s a solid first week and we can really build from here.”
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With Mercedes racking up a massive 500 plus laps they have emerged as favourites for the year and George Russell is the bookies favourite for the drivers’ title with Max Verstappen a few points behind. The four times world champion had described the Red Bull decision to build their own powertrain “as crazy as it gets” but following his final outing in Barcelona he was impressed by the work the team has done.
“I have to say, in terms of what we were expecting from the power unit on these first couple of days, I can only repeat how proud we are from everybody back at base to have managed to give us something that we can actually run with,” Verstappen commented.
Reliability of the new powertrains is just one aspect of the new F1 era and the expectation is that energy management will become a key focus for all the drivers. Haas F1 also racked up decent mileage in Barcelona but their drivers appear to have a difference of opinion on the task ahead.
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Bearman “sad” over lift and coast
Oliver Bearman who impressed during his rookie season in 2025 was unhappy after his first outing in the Haas. “The annoying thing is definitely the energy management, the clipping and all of these things,” the young Briton told Motorsport.com.
“It’s definitely more than what we’ve been used to, but that’s a given, considering the reliance on electrical as opposed to the previous generation. It’s to be expected but actually feeling it in reality for the first time is a little bit sad. One of those things.”
The increase in electrical power is creating astonishing acceleration, something a number of drivers have commented upon. Yet the threefold increase in battery capacity is also creating concerns over the cars running to of energy at certain points around the lap.
The phenomenon known as ‘clipping’ was evident in the previous F1 era although it is expected to increase significantly with the new cars and power units. “Clipping” is where the car runs dry of electrical power and has the feel of hitting a rev limiter for the driver, but in the new formula its effect will be more dramatic.
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Ocon dated quickly to new driving style required
The fall off from the 350kw electrical unit will be significant, meaning the drivers must manage their power boosts carefully balancing aggression with energy conservation. Bearman’s team mate Esteban Ocon suggests in qualifying to save energy, the drivers may be required to lift off the throttle as they come to the end of a straight. “On quali-style runs, we are doing like lift-and-coast and stuff,” the Frenchman revealed. “That’s a very new thing to do. But, you know, honestly, from the simulator, it took me one run to do it. It’s actually quite odd now to not do it.
“It makes sense with the car, because if you stay full throttle, you are basically losing a lot of, you’re basically putting the handbrake at the end of the straight, and if you lift and coast, it’s not that much. So you feel quicker if you lift off. So it feels quite natural because it’s the fastest we are driving.”
Ocon concluded its a very different way of driving in the new F1 cars, but by the end of the test in Barcelona he had adjusted well, but notes this will be the same at every circuit on the schedule. Lift and coast has been part of racing for some time, but qualifying traditionally has been an expression of pure speed.
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New F1 cars acceleration “insane”
For the drivers to be managing energy rather than driving flat out, will be a disappointment to many. Yet despite driving below the maximum send at times, the new F1 cars are anything but slow as Esteban Ocon revealed how shocked he was at the raw power of acceleration in the new machines.
Asked by what surprised him the most from the Barcelona test, Ocon said: “The way the speed climbs in the straight.You know, I never thought I would get to 350km/h that fast. We had an inconsistent deployment in one of the runs that we did, and I had like full deployment into the straight, and I arrived at, I don’t know, 355km/h in Turn 1 in Barcelona, so the braking was very different to the laps before.
“The way it climbs and the way you feel, you know, the speed climbing, it’s something insane, honestly. It’s something I’ve never felt in Formula 1 or that I’ve never felt in any cars driving prior to that. That was definitely crazy. And the acceleration and the power on exit as well, it’s instant, it’s much more than I’ve ever felt. So I think those are the things that surprised me the most,” concluded the Frenchman.
Energy management differences between the F1 teams already visible
Just three more days to wait until the first official Formula One test of the 2026 season. Of course the teams have already completed three days ‘shakedown’ on track in Barcelona, but for political and financial reasons it is Bahrain who is credited with holding the first official test.
Unlike in the Catalan capital, the media are welcome In Bahrain with open arms – no more hiking around the outside of the circuits perimeter with long lenses whilst attempting to avoid the security guards. The secrecy enforced at the Barcelona ‘shakedown’ was in the end misplaced as all the teams with exception of Aston Martin racked up a significance number of laps.
Last time there was a big power unit regulation train it was a car crash, with the likes of Red Bull Racing completing just 27 laps over four days in Jerez. It was for this reason the FIA mandated the ‘shakedown’ be held behind relatively closed doors. Given the lack of media coverage and official timing, it has been difficult to understand exactly how the teams 2026 offerings compare…. READ MORE
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
