Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc anticipate challenges of following rivals in new F1 era
Lewis Hamilton has indicated that Formula 1 drivers may not fully understand the intricacies of following rival cars until they are deeply engaged in competitive racing at the Australian Grand Prix. The first race of the 2026 season, scheduled for March 8th at the Albert Park circuit, is expected to provide the clearest insights into how the new F1 regulations impact wheel-to-wheel racing.
During pre-season testing, drivers faced the challenge of adapting to complex new power units and advanced active aerodynamics. Many competitors spent multiple laps behind rival cars in an effort to evaluate how difficult it would be to follow closely and attempt overtakes under race conditions. The introduction of active aerodynamics with straight line mode (SM), which allows both the front and rear wings to open for reduced drag, has been specifically designed to facilitate overtaking opportunities. However, drivers must now carefully manage their energy deployment, as the hybrid system contributes 50% of total power output alongside the internal combustion engine, increasing the complexity of race strategy.
Initial feedback from the testing sessions suggests that following another car is not drastically different from the experiences in 2025. Nevertheless, Lewis Hamilton has emphasized that the full impact of these new regulations will only become clear once the F1 season is fully underway. The British driver believes that Melbourne will reveal how the combination of active aero, battery management, and strategic use of straight line mode affects real race scenarios.
Lewis Hamilton explained that the team has been working to understand the new race dynamics, highlighting the experimentation with overtake modes and energy deployment during testing. The Briton noted that drivers often attempted long runs behind other cars to gain a sense of what it would be like to follow competitors closely. While some of the initial experiences felt acceptable, Lewis Hamilton cautioned that the real test of performance and manageability would only emerge under the pressures of a full race weekend.
Charles Leclerc also expressed similar observations, indicating that the pre-season testing gave valuable insight but could not fully replicate the conditions of competitive racing. Leclerc highlighted that while the straight line mode and hybrid power systems provide theoretical advantages for overtaking, the actual challenges of racecraft, tire management, and energy strategy in a densely packed grid would only be visible during the season opener in Melbourne.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc suggested that understanding the full implications of the new F1 technical regulations—particularly the hybrid power integration and active aero—requires sustained racing experience. The drivers are cautious in their predictions, noting that while early testing offers preliminary data, the Australian Grand Prix will be the true indicator of how easily F1 cars can follow one another and execute strategic overtakes in 2026.
The leading figures in Formula 1, including Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, are therefore preparing for a season where energy management, active aerodynamics, and hybrid systems play a more significant role than ever. Their insights underscore that while technology provides new opportunities for overtaking, the realities of close racing will only be revealed when the drivers face real competition under race conditions at Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit.
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