Formula 1 is back. The Circus kicked off the 2026 season in Melbourne, a weekend dominated by George Russell and Mercedes, while Aston Martin revealed all its vulnerabilities.
New era, new evaluations
Given the nature of the new regulations, which mandate engines composed of 50% thermal and 50% electric components, controversy was inevitable. This is, in every sense, an extremely different category from what fans had come to know.
As often happens, a new technical era shakes up the hierarchy: the 2025 world champion, Lando Norris, driving a car designed by the team that won the last two Constructors’ Championships (McLaren), finished in fifth place—over 35 seconds from the podium and more than 50 seconds from victory.
After an exciting start, Mercedes confirmed its qualifying superiority and scored a one-two finish, with George Russell ahead of Italian driver Kimi Antonelli. Ferrari had to settle for a podium with Charles Leclerc, while Lewis Hamilton secured his best result with Ferrari on Sunday: fourth place (he had achieved four top-four finishes last year).
Fans may have expected more, or perhaps had resigned themselves to limited expectations from a team that hasn’t triumphed since 2008. Either way, a step back is necessary.
The importance of perspective
A necessary premise: expectations—both media and otherwise—toward Ferrari will always exceed those for any other team. Years pass, victories remain elusive, yet the Scuderia’s history is undeniable: Ferrari is an icon of Formula 1 and, as such, is expected to win consistently.
Still, it’s important not to be blinded by the spotlight constantly trained on Maranello. Context matters. In F1 terms, this is called “contextualization.”
Contextualizing, just 12 months ago, Ferrari arrived in Melbourne obliged to fight for victory and prove it could contend for the title. “Obliged” not just because it’s Ferrari, but due to winter declarations—events, statements, and remarks from team leaders—all signaling one message: Ferrari is in the title fight.
Fast forward to the first weekend: fourth row in qualifying, finishing only eighth and tenth in the race. That marked the start of a season that, from that point, would decline further.
For 2026, Ferrari’s strategy changed: work quietly and let the track speak. The approach almost succeeded on the opening weekend.
Being the second force in Australia means being “the first of the losers,” as founder Enzo Ferrari would say—but also means being second only to Mercedes, which performed something both exceptional and controversial with its engine, prompting a FIA regulation change effective June 1st.
Finishing behind Mercedes was a disappointment for Charles Leclerc & company, evident in the Monegasque driver’s eyes. Ferrari doesn’t start as the title favorite this year, yet it isn’t entirely lost. Unlike others who proclaimed their competitive edge over the last 12 months, Ferrari remains methodical and prepared.
The Aston Martin collapse
A multi-million project. Fernando Alonso, two-time world champion, at the wheel. Adrian Newey, arguably the greatest F1 engineer in history, leading the project and the team. A state-of-the-art wind tunnel. A single engine supplier (Honda).
On paper, Aston Martin had all the elements to win immediately. Instead, the British team faced an unprecedented scenario. Performance wasn’t the only issue; the car couldn’t even safely finish races. According to Newey, “Stroll and Alonso risked nerve damage due to engine-induced vibrations.”
Another Honda failure, unprepared like in 2015 with McLaren, but on a far larger scale. The car arrived late to Barcelona for the first unofficial test, completed far fewer laps than rivals in Bahrain, and retired the same car twice in a single GP used as a “test.” That sums up Aston Martin’s performance so far.
A team meant to fight at the front finds itself in an uncomfortable position, hard to recover from.
What if Ferrari had faced the same start?
The question naturally arises: what if Ferrari had started the new F1 era like Aston Martin, even with a fraction of the British team’s issues? How long before a public revolt in Maranello? How long before Leclerc and Hamilton sought other options for their future? How many articles would have been written about Ferrari’s total failure?
Of course, “what ifs” don’t make history. They hypothesize a parallel universe where things went differently.
Yet, perhaps even for Ferrari, a team for whom anything less than victory is insufficient, being the second force isn’t such a bad position after all.
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