The opening race of the season, highly anticipated by both fans and insiders after a testing-heavy pre-season, has split opinion and sparked contrasting views on the real effectiveness of the new regulations.

Between a qualifying session heavily influenced by super clipping and a race largely dictated by energy management, one statistic nevertheless stands out: the number of overtakes.

The Albert Park race produced as many as 120 overtakes compared to just 45 last year - nearly three times as many and a clear boost to the on-track spectacle, even if many have dismissed it as artificial racing rather than genuine wheel-to-wheel battles.

Over the course of the weekend, discussions were dominated by terms like super clipping, energy management, deployment and lift and coast, with much of the media attention focused on the weaknesses of the new regulations rather than the spectacle on track.

Following Saturday’s qualifying session, the overall verdict seemed fairly clear, with many observers arguing that this new regulatory era still feels a long way from the essence of Formula 1. The race in Melbourne, however, appears to have at least partly shifted that narrative, leaving opinions far more split than they were just 24 hours earlier.