The start of the Formula 1 season in Australia is marked by the unknown as new regulations take effect, fueling speculation about a possible upheaval of the established hierarchy. According to former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger, the new regulations place a strong emphasis on who best masters the controls of the car. He stated, 'With the new regulations, it depends very much on who best masters the controls of the car.' In 2026, central importance will be given to the charging capabilities of the much more powerful battery. Berger added, 'It is no longer just about who brakes last, but also about who knows which step to take to have enough battery power.' He believes Max Verstappen has the best prerequisites to benefit from the new regulations, describing him as an extremist on the track and an incredibly obsessed, passionate guy who tries to understand motorsport down to the last detail. Berger noted that Verstappen covers both sides and sometimes even programs his simulators himself. However, the true front-runners under the new Formula 1 regulations after the first races remain uncertain.
Despite the technical changes, some drivers question whether the hierarchy will actually shift. Pierre Gasly, a Formula 1 driver for Alpine, expresses his questions about the real redistribution of cards within the grid, pointing to persistent gaps despite technical changes. He observes mixed signals, with the first indications suggesting a championship split into two distinct groups, with a notable gap between the front and the rest of the field. Gasly believes it is still premature to draw definitive conclusions, with the real lessons to emerge during the first races. He anticipates many uncertainties for the first races, related to energy management, the behavior of new engines, or operational procedures. The performance gap between the top teams and the rest of the grid in the 2026 Formula 1 season is yet to be determined.
Berger offered insights into specific teams and drivers. He said that Red Bull is not in the favorite role before the season start in Melbourne, despite good test impressions of their first self-made engines in cooperation with Ford. Instead, he stated that Mercedes and its customer teams have an advantage, and McLaren and Mercedes will already be the benchmarks in race trim. Berger added that Mercedes and McLaren have likely revealed their cards the least and prefer to come to Australia with a surprise effect. On Ferrari, he said it makes a not bad impression. Regarding Lewis Hamilton, Berger noted that Hamilton was overtaken in speed by his teammate Charles Leclerc last year and is undoubtedly an exceptional racing driver, but it has been seen that he is also getting older. The seven-time world champion could see the new regulations as an opportunity for a trend reversal. For George Russell, the bookmakers' favorite, Berger said he must first keep his young stablemate Kimi Antonelli behind him, adding that Antonelli is seen as the coming man and will put Russell under pressure. Berger also mentioned promising youngsters like Isack Hadjar, who is the teammate who has come closest to Verstappen so far, Arvid Lindblad, who has made a good impression so far, and Gabriel Bortoleto as another youngster on his list. On Audi, Berger said it could establish itself as the fifth or sixth force in the upper midfield after taking over Sauber. How Audi's performance will compare after taking over Sauber in the upcoming Formula 1 seasons is still unclear.
McLaren and Mercedes will already be the benchmarks in race trim.
Berger did not want to commit to a world championship tip. He remarked, 'Formula 1 always develops differently than expected,' and wants to let the changes take effect for half a year before giving a judgment. Berger said he does not have a positive attitude but wants to be open-minded.
In the World Rally Championship, the rules for the top class cars change for the 2027 season. Current Rally1 class cars will be phased out, and new cars will have a tube frame structure defined in the 2027 rules. Otherwise, the new cars are largely based technically on the current Rally2 competition class car. French rally superstar Sébastien Ogier is not at all convinced by the new regulation period's cars in the World Championship series. He stated, 'Uudet autot ovat askel taaksepäin. Teknisesti ne eivät ole yhtä inspiroivia kuin nykyiset pääluokan autot. Vain harvalla kuljettajalla on mitään hyvää sanottavaa niistä,' which translates to 'The new cars are a step backward. Technically, they are not as inspiring as the current top class cars. Only a few drivers have anything good to say about them.' Ogier mentioned, referring to the rule reform, that it is important to get as many drivers and tough competition as possible into the World Championship's top competition class. Whether the new WRC regulations for 2027 will attract more drivers and increase competition as intended remains to be seen.
Nine-time world champion Ogier, 42, did not yet know if he will continue competing in the World Championship series next year. Next year, in the top class of the World Championship, one could compete with completely new WRC27 rule-compliant cars as well as Rally2 class cars. Currently, only Toyota and the so-called tuner manufacturer Project Rally One private team are known to be building completely new rule-compliant cars for the 2027 season. Hyundai will participate in the top class with a kind of development version of a Rally2 car in 2027. The M-Sport team driving Fords and Lancia are also believed to compete in the top class with Rally2 cars in 2027.