F1 fans erupt in anger over 'pathetic' new regulations: 'A total disgrace'
Photo: Race Pictures
Tobia is a Formula 1 journalist at GPblog with experience at international circuits. Since 2022, he has covered Grands Prix across Europe, delivering reliable coverage and insights from the paddock.
Fans on social media echoed the concerns voiced by the F1 drivers, expressing widespread disbelief and frustration over the new cars and regulations after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.
Outrage among fans after Australian GP qualifying
The first qualifying session of the season in Melbourne confirmed what many had already suspected - Mercedes are clearly ahead of the rest, with margins that may even be larger than many had anticipated.
As is often the case at the start of a major regulatory overhaul, one team tends to nail the concept before the others, opening up a gap that usually narrows over time but, in the meantime, does little to improve the spectacle for fans.
The show looks even less appealing when watching the onboards from the new cars, with several drivers slamming the new regulations. Some, like Lando Norris, even went as far as to say the sport has gone from having the best cars ever to what could end up being the worst.
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Photo: Race Pictures
Lift and coasting, energy deployment, batteries, super clipping - all terms modern Formula 1 now has to live with, but ones that have hardly been met with enthusiasm from either those inside the paddock or the fans.
Below are some of the most prominent reactions on social media, with users voicing strong disappointment over what they witnessed during the first qualifying session of the 2026 season.
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Hamilton worries 'disappointing' scenario could be caused by FIA's leniency
Another topic that was somewhat overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the new cars - yet still very much relevant - concerns the apparent advantage Mercedes’ power unit showed in qualifying, after the much-discussed engine compression ratio ‘trick’ dominated the conversation throughout the winter.
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Speaking to GPblog and other media after qualifying, the seven-time world champion admitted it would be disappointing if Mercedes had managed to unlock such a significant performance gain through that widely debated concept.
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