MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) (ITALPRESS) – Only a few months have passed, but the one that shows up on the grid for the first appointment of 2026 is a Formula 1 very different from that seen last season. The introduction of the new regulation could change the balances on the track, but you will have to wait for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend to learn more.
Of course, Ferrari entered the new year with the right piglio, as confirmed by the same drivers. “I am confident about the good work done to prepare this first race, but I am aware that Mercedes at the moment is stronger than we – said Charles Leclerc -. We have to stay calm, it’s just the first race of the season. I feel that this year developments will make a great difference to the past.”.
He also smiles at Lewis Hamilton, who does not hide the objectives of the Cavallino: “Win. Each team is working with this goal. It is very different from the first year – said the British driver, arrived in Maranello in 2025 -. The feeling is much more enjoyable after spending a year in the team. I think we are now in a good situation as a team and today I feel tired with the team, so yes: I am much happier.”.
All indicate Mercedes as the stable that comes to Australia in the best conditions, and Kimi Antonelli does not hide: “Our goal? Fight for the World, if possible – the words of the young Bolognese -. First we have to figure out where we are as a team, and where I am a pilot. But if we are competitive, everything is possible.”.
Optimist the four-time Max Verstappen champion, although the Dutchman states that there is “a lot of work to do to get ahead”, while Lando Norris, defending champion, feels “happy and confident”, though admits: “We don’t get to Australia convinced we win.”.
Those who smile less, instead, is the Aston Martin, still struggling with reliability problems after the taste between Barcelona and Bahrain. “Alonso believes he can’t travel more than 25 consecutive laps before risking permanent damage to the nerves of the hands. Stroll, on the other hand, thinks he can’t take more than 15 laps before it happens,” admits team principal Adrian Newey, who added: “We will be very limited in terms of number of turns until we can identify the causes of vibrations and solve them at the root.”.
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
