Do people like the new F1?
One of the main themes following the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the opening race of the 2026 season marked by the regulatory revolution, was undoubtedly the judgment on the spectacle seen on track. How to evaluate the real skill of the driver in overtaking? Where does the driver’s skill end and where does the energy management capability of their car begin?
How will the public welcome this path taken by the category in the long term?
FormulaPassion.it asked Francesco Cigarini (present on Instagram and YouTube), a mechatronic mechanic at Ferrari for 22 years, for an opinion on what was seen during the Melbourne weekend.
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A video game from the TV, but in the stands…
Francesco Cigarini, how did you see this new Formula 1?
“Last week the 2026 F1 world championship began, and it did so with logistical difficulties for all personnel and material arriving from Europe or Bahrain (the material had left for Melbourne after the tests). This latest war – beyond the tragedy it carries – has made it clear how much the world of transport over the years has relied heavily on Middle Eastern airports and routes. By closing this part of the world for obvious reasons, the house of cards collapsed and the teams had to make do with more than alternative routes to manage to arrive on time. But in the end, everything took place as desired.
What is the ‘new F1’ like? Live, it always has its charm.
The full stands and the continuous roar of the crowd, especially in the first part, gave the measure of the passion intact and the desire to see the drivers fight among themselves. And so it was.“
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Do you consider the criticism received from some fans and drivers a bit excessive?
“From the TV it seemed like a video game, perhaps nice to watch, an effective countermeasure to those who say they easily fall asleep in front of the TV while watching F1, shortly after the start. Like all new things, it must be “digested” by insiders and fans, there will always be criticism, because we know where we come from but we don’t know where it will lead… Now the word Superclipping takes the place of lift and coast, two approaches that take away the fire of courage in braking at the last moment for the driver and it is also strange to accept hearing the engine revs drop in the middle of the straight. In any case, it is not a harsh criticism, despite the drivers’ outbursts starting to become pressing, accusing F1, while F1 itself would prefer to wash its “dirty laundry” at home, with private and constructive criticism. The Chinese GP will tell us something more, teams and drivers will continue to learn and challenge each other. The feeling is that the advantage of some teams might not be enough to maintain leadership all year long. Certainly the teams and F1 know where they want to go, they know by when they want to get there, perhaps by adjusting the aim this process could be shortened.”
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