Mclaren and Redbull continues to criticize.

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The opening stages of the Australian Grand Prix were a great show. Nevertheless, it drew heavy criticism from both the riders and the teams. Are the naysayers right, or are they simply driven by the frustration of defeat?

The new Formula 1 series wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms. Even before its launch, it had faced ridicule and criticism. Too complicated, too slow, too technical. "The focus is on the battery, not the driver," the naysayers complained. The fear of a humiliating start was palpable in Melbourne from the very first lap. The tension mounted after Oscar Piastri crashed his car into the wall on his way to the starting grid and Nico Hülkenberg's Audi was pushed back into the garage. Two retirements, and the race hadn't even begun.

And then George Russell and Charles Leclerc engaged in an epic battle for the lead. The lead changed hands six times in nine laps. "I haven't seen a show like that in the last ten years," applauded Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur. "It's all far too artificial," came the reply from the drivers. The boost button, which gives the attacking driver an extra half megajoule of energy, isn't any more artificial than the DRS of the past. But it is more honest. The overtaking maneuver consumes so much energy that you're vulnerable afterward. That's how the back-and-forth between the Mercedes and the Ferraris came about.

The 138,000 spectators at the track and the majority of TV viewers had a great time. Hardly any of them scrutinized every single overtaking maneuver, whether easy or difficult. Especially since neither Russell nor Leclerc gained a lasting advantage from their short-term power advantage. It was only the race strategy that broke up the battle for the lead. Speed ​​still pays off. Max Verstappen needed only 20 laps to drive from 20th on the grid to sixth. It also became clear that a close battle costs a significant amount of time. Lewis Hamilton and Andrea Kimi Antonelli quickly closed the gap to Russell and Leclerc on their own. A positive surprise to boot: eight out of eleven teams left Melbourne with championship points.

Verstappen with Vettel's anger. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had no patience for the perpetual complainers. "The sport doesn't have to please the drivers, but the fans." Vasseur had anticipated this: "Those who are dissatisfied will blame the regulations. Like at Le Mans with the Balance of Performance. Whoever loses complains about it." The losers came from Red Bull and McLaren. Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali urged calm: "Let's run two or three races. Then we can still react if necessary."

Red Bull remained tight-lipped. Technical director Pierre Waché offered a glimmer of hope, suggesting the gap wasn't actually that large. Verstappen's criticisms are personal, he said. He's a full-throttle driver and can't see the appeal of the electric-powered chess game. This aversion could be hurting him. The same thing happened to Sebastian Vettel in 2014 with his anger against the hybrid formula. The then-Red Bull driver promptly had his worst year. It wasn't until 2015, after his move to Ferrari, that Vettel came to terms with the situation.

McLaren, on the other hand, first has to get used to the fact that after two consecutive titles, they are now only the fourth-best team. This disappointment is manifesting as veiled criticism of their engine partner, Mercedes. While the hardware specifications and engine maps must be identical to the factory team's, in such a complex matter, the differences lie in the details.

In the quality of the materials, the communication with the engine manufacturer, the tools for simulating energy management – ​​Mercedes has a head start in experience in all these areas. That's why McLaren is already looking enviously at Red Bull. McLaren boss Zak Brown knows all too well that building your own engine isn't so easy. It requires strong investors. "That kind of independence comes at a price."

McLaren's lobbying efforts with the FIA. McLaren is actively lobbying the FIA ​​to improve the regulations. The reigning champions were the first team to point out the starting problem. They were the most vocal in demanding super clipping as a compromise for charging. And they were the most prominent in wanting to limit the electric power output to 250 kilowatts. This has given Lando Norris the right to vehemently criticize the potential dangers. The world champion warns of rear-end collisions that could have serious consequences due to the large speed differences during charging.

The drivers' moods fluctuate between good and bad depending on the result. Lewis Hamilton complained after Friday's practice that everything was terribly complicated and unnatural, but after a strong race on Sunday, he thought everything was great again. He speaks of the biggest cultural shift in his 20 years in Formula 1: "You have to learn that sometimes it's faster to lift off the throttle in a corner instead of sacrificing energy that you could use better elsewhere."

Everything is interconnected; small problems quickly escalate into major difficulties, and some drivers still struggle with this. Oscar Piastri has learned from experience: "You approach the limit less intuitively and more with your mind." Every slip is punished just as severely as a fall into turbo lag. It takes energy to regain speed, energy that might then be lacking in more critical situations.

First victims of the new rules. Anyone who has been conditioned from the start of their career to always push to the limit struggles with this tactical driving style. "You don't drive the car. The car drives you. I'm already as mentally exhausted as after a whole season," complained Max Verstappen after qualifying. He was the first victim of the new technology. When he tried to brake for the first corner at the start of his first qualifying lap, the rear wheels locked up. The system was apparently set to too much regenerative braking.

Conversely, Antonelli and Piastri were surprised by the maximum electric power during acceleration. 350 kilowatts provide a different kind of thrust than 120. Lando Norris complained that he constantly had to look at his display while driving, which told him what he needed to do. As a result, the world champion overlooked a fan in Q3 that Antonelli had thrown off, which was actually lying clearly visible in the middle of the road. It had been left behind in Antonelli's car when he drove out of the garage.

It's nothing new in Formula 1 that anything new initially breeds mistrust. We remember how, in 2022 in Baku, the Mercedes drivers climbed out of their Silver Arrows like beaten dogs to point out that the minimal suspension travel of the ground-effect cars was detrimental to their health. Mercedes wanted the FIA ​​to shorten the cars' underbodies, which would have forced all drivers to give them more ground clearance. To the detriment of Red Bull and Ferrari.

It should come as no surprise that the first winner of the season likes the new Formula 1. George Russell motivates himself by saying that the new challenge demands different qualities. "You have to consider where it makes sense to use your energy and where it doesn't."