The final practice session (FP3) is live at the Australian Grand Prix, offering teams one last chance to optimize their cars before the critical qualifying session that sets the grid for Sunday's race.
Citing driver safety concerns over critically low downforce, the FIA has removed a designated 'straight mode' zone at the Australian GP. The last-minute change, triggered by data showing some cars were unstable, forces all teams to revise energy strategies and highlights the early teething problems of F1's new active aerodynamics rules.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli's heavy crash in FP3 at the Australian GP has left his car with major damage, putting his participation in qualifying in serious jeopardy. The red-flag incident disrupted the session and now leaves his team with a frantic repair job ahead of the afternoon's qualifying hour.
The FIA has deleted a Straight Mode zone at Albert Park for the rest of the Australian GP weekend after drivers warned it was dangerously low on downforce during high-speed corners, particularly in traffic. The late change forces teams to hastily revise car setups and energy strategies after Friday's running.
The start of FP3 at the Australian Grand Prix has been delayed, compounding a dramatic Friday that saw George Russell investigated for a collision and Max Verstappen damaging his Red Bull's floor. The schedule disruption pressures teams as they repair cars and prepare for qualifying.
Formula 1 is not seeking replacement races if the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix are canceled, which would cut the 2026 season to 22 races. A final safety-based decision is expected by March 20, following discussions with teams in Melbourne.
The 2026 F1 regulations will turn qualifying into a strategic puzzle, forcing drivers to carefully ration a limited amount of electrical energy per lap. They must choose between using that energy to aggressively heat their tires for grip or conserving it for maximum power on their timed lap, creating a new and critical performance dilemma.
Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson says the Australian GP is one of the hardest tracks for energy management. He warns that getting the complex power unit settings slightly wrong will be severely punished on lap time, making optimization the team's critical focus for the weekend.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has dismissed as "shocking" conspiracy theories that the team unfairly aided Lando Norris to beat teammate Oscar Piastri to the 2025 title, insisting both drivers raced with equal opportunity under the team's 'papaya rules'.
Adrian Newey discloses that Honda's disastrous 2026 F1 season start stems from losing most of its experienced F1 workforce during its brief exit. Aston Martin was unaware of the scale of the brain drain until late 2025, leaving the partnership struggling with an inexperienced team developing a new engine under a budget cap.
Despite securing his maiden Formula 1 World Championship in 2025, McLaren's Lando Norris says his mentality remains that of a 'hunter' chasing success, not a champion being hunted. He emphasizes relentless self-improvement and maintaining high internal standards as key to tackling the fresh challenge of F1's 2026 regulatory reset.
Max Verstappen promises to push any car to its absolute limit, comparing it to driving a 'shopping trolley,' despite his strong criticism of F1's new technical regulations. He believes top driver talent will always prevail as the sport enters a new era.
