A first meeting took place on 9 April regarding potential rule tweaks, both for the remainder of the season and the upcoming campaigns, with all stakeholders set to gather again on 20 April, after a sporting group meeting on 15 April and a technical group meeting on 16 April.<\/p>\n
Potential avenues include reducing the amount of electric energy drivers are allowed to deploy and increasing the amount of energy they can harvest when super clipping.<\/p>\n
Will anyone challenge Mercedes<\/a> for the title? George Russell, Mercedes<\/p>\n Photo by: Clive Mason \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n F1\u2019s new era could hardly have started in better fashion for Mercedes, which took a 1-2 in the first two grands prix while Kimi Antonelli<\/a> won and George Russell<\/a> finished fourth at Suzuka.<\/p>\n The Silver Arrows have had a clear edge in qualifying \u2013 eight tenths in Australia, three-and-a-half tenths in China and Japan \u2013 and their poor launches at lights out, especially relative to Ferrari<\/a>, have turned out to be a slight hurdle more than an actual stumbling block.<\/p>\n The Scuderia believes it can close the gap thanks to the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) mechanism, according to which power units will be evaluated after the sixth, 12th and 18th grands prix of the season. Each time, manufacturers which are between 2% and 4% down on the best engine\u2019s power will be allowed an additional upgrade, while those who are more than 4% down will get two.<\/p>\n However, both Charles Leclerc<\/a> and team boss Fred Vasseur have made it clear that the SF-26 can be improved in all areas<\/a>, not just the powertrain.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, McLaren<\/a>\u2019s Japanese GP performance was encouraging, as Oscar Piastri<\/a> outqualified the Ferraris, took the lead at the start and raced to second, but the Woking-based squad is aware it remains third-fastest for the time being.<\/p>\n Who will come out on top in the midfield battle? Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Pierre Gasly, Alpine<\/p>\n Photo by: Simon Galloway \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n This is a slightly tricky question to answer, as it requires defining who is part of the midfield battle.<\/p>\n One month ago, Red Bull probably wouldn\u2019t have been included, but the fact is the team lies sixth in the constructors\u2019 standings with 16 points, surrounded by Haas (18), Alpine<\/a> (16) and Racing Bulls<\/a> (14).<\/p>\n The team\u2019s qualifying pace is its worst since 2015<\/a> relative to the competition, and the situation is no better in races.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a good power unit. The engine is good. The chassis side is terrible. We’re just slow in the corners,\u201d Isack Hadjar<\/a> coolly stated. \u201cThe only positive right now is that I can drive the car fast. But we have no lead on how we can make the car fast.\u201d<\/p>\n Team principal Laurent Mekies believes Red Bull is paying the price for its 2025 title charge<\/a>, but regardless of the cause, there is no solution in sight \u2013 and the team\u2019s brain exodus is worsening.<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n One might assume the championship situation is circumstantial, but Alpine\u2019s Pierre Gasly<\/a> actually outqualified both Red Bulls at Shanghai and Suzuka, with Haas\u2019 Oliver Bearman<\/a> also finishing ahead under the chequered flag in China.<\/p>\n Racing Bulls has also been a consistent challenger for points with Liam Lawson<\/a> and Arvid Lindblad<\/a> \u2013 coincidentally showing the Red Bull Ford engine is not to blame for Red Bull\u2019s form \u2013 so the fight for fourth position is somewhat unpredictable.<\/p>\n Red Bull won\u2019t be helped by the Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions, with fewer wind tunnel and CFD simulations relative to its rivals owing to its third place in last year\u2019s classification; having finished last in 2025, Alpine will enjoy the most tests until the end of June, when the ATR will be reset according to the provisional 2026 standings.<\/p>\n Will Aston Martin and Honda fix their issues? Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing<\/p>\n Photo by: Paul Crock \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n The mighty Aston Martin outfit\u2019s Honda era got off to the poorest possible start.<\/p>\n Billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll hoped a works engine deal would give his team the best chance to succeed and finally become a top team, amid mammoth investment into its Silverstone campus and high-profile hires. Yet the Adrian Newey-designed AMR26 lacks both performance and reliability.<\/p>\n In qualifying, Aston battles with newcomer Cadillac<\/a> over the penultimate row of the grid; in races, Honda\u2019s new power unit generated crippling vibrations that damaged battery after battery and sparked driver health concerns, though the situation improved somewhat in the latest round at Suzuka, where Fernando Alonso<\/a> finished the race \u2013 down in 18th.<\/p>\n By now, the 2026 campaign is highly likely to be a write-off for Aston Martin and Honda, both of which will be keen to focus on next year as early as possible in order to bounce back.<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n Will Verstappen quit F1 over his dislike of the new rules? Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing<\/p>\n Photo by: Mark Thompson \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
\n ![\"George](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775288289_891_george-russell-mercedes.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Max](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776074532_630_max-verstappen-red-bull-racing.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Fernando](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776074534_208_fernando-alonso-aston-martin-r.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Max](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776074535_714_max-verstappen-red-bull-racing.jpg\")
<\/p>\n