The 2026 season brought F1's most radical regulatory overhaul, introducing slightly lighter cars, 50/50 hybrid power and active aerodynamics. F1 fans, however, remain hesitant to pass judgment.
At the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, George Russell claimed victory for Mercedes ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton third and fourth respectively.
The race played out as a strategic battle - in the early stages, Russell and Leclerc played with their power units to blast past one another on the straights.
It marked the first time the engines had been put through their paces in race trim, just weeks after Max Verstappen called the cars "Formula E on steroids".
Reigning champion Lando Norris reversed his earlier stance to label the racing "artificial" and "dangerous" as energy management forced drivers to lift mid-straight to recharge.
Not all drivers share the pessimism, as Kimi Antonelli claimed the rules were "better than what we all anticipated", while Lewis Hamilton voiced his optimism.
A RacingNews365 poll asked you, the fans, what you thought of the new rules. With over 2,500 votes, there is a clear divide.
27 per cent of fans believe it is too early to judge - but after that, the consensus is split, with opinions ranging from the rules being a farce to them being highly enjoyable.
See the full poll results below!
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Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look back on the Australian GP and look ahead to China! The trio discuss the first taste of F1's new regulations, Max Verstappen's frustration but also Lewis Hamilton's striking positivity.
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