F1 telemetry analysis: how super clipping cost teams up to 50 km/h in Australian GP qualifying. How super clipping caused dramatic straight-line speed losses.

The super clipping hits everyone in Australia: here is how much speed teams lose on the straights

Qualifying telemetry analysis

The phenomenon known as super clipping played a crucial role during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. Telemetry analysis clearly reveals how much straight-line speed Formula 1 cars lose once the available electrical energy is depleted.

The new 2026 Formula 1 regulations have completely transformed the cars, but they have also significantly changed the way drivers must manage them on track. By examining the telemetry data, it becomes evident how dramatically different cars lose speed along the straights when their available electrical deployment runs out.

During qualifying in Australia, the effect of super clipping proved particularly important, with Mercedes appearing to manage battery usage more effectively than their rivals. The Brackley-based team demonstrated a clear advantage in controlling energy deployment, allowing their drivers to maintain higher speeds in key sections of the lap.

This phenomenon is especially visible in the section leading up to Turn 9 and again before Turn 11 at Albert Park. In the final part of the straight, the top speed of nearly every car drops sharply, with drivers losing as much as 50 km/h before reaching the braking zone.

The reason behind this dramatic drop is directly linked to the 2026 hybrid power units. Under the new regulations, approximately 50 percent of the total power output comes from the electric component of the power unit. Once the available battery energy is exhausted, the electric boost disappears, leaving the internal combustion engine alone to propel the car and causing a significant reduction in top speed.

The impact of super clipping during Australian Grand Prix qualifying

Looking at the telemetry data from the Australian Grand Prix qualifying session, the presence of super clipping becomes immediately clear. Even when watching the onboard footage from the drivers’ cars, it is noticeable that the cars begin to slow down during the second half of long straights despite the throttle pedal remaining fully open.

Drivers are therefore experiencing a loss of acceleration even though they are applying full throttle, simply because the electrical energy available for deployment has already been used earlier in the lap.

Importantly, this phenomenon does not occur on every straight of the circuit. Instead, it appears specifically in those sections where the battery runs out of energy before the end of the acceleration zone.

When comparing the top teams, a noticeable difference emerges between the Mercedes power unit and its main rivals. The Mercedes W17 appears capable of maintaining higher speeds in the section between Turns 8 and 9, while still retaining enough energy to continue accelerating effectively between Turns 10 and 11.

Nevertheless, even the Mercedes shows the characteristic downward curve in speed toward the end of the straight. As the cars approach the braking zones, the power unit loses roughly half of its total output once the electrical component is no longer available.

How much top speed each team loses

The telemetry data also reveals exactly how many kilometres per hour each car loses in the specific section before Turn 9. One particularly interesting detail is that cars powered by the same engine can display completely different energy management strategies.

It should also be emphasized that this super clipping effect is mainly visible during qualifying, when drivers are pushing at maximum pace. During the race, where energy management is more balanced and less aggressive, the phenomenon is expected to be far less pronounced.

The table highlights the maximum speed reached between Turns 8 and 9, measured in km/h, alongside the speed recorded when drivers lift off the throttle before the braking zone. The final column shows the difference between these two values.

One striking detail is how Ferrari loses significantly more top speed compared to Cadillac and Haas, despite all three teams using the same power unit. This indicates that the difference lies not in the engine itself but in the energy deployment strategy and software management.

A different approach can also be seen from Lindblad with Racing Bulls, whose car uses a larger portion of its energy in earlier acceleration zones. As a result, by the time the car reaches this section of the circuit, it is unable to even reach 300 km/h.

Perhaps the most surprising figure comes from McLaren, which loses as much as 57 km/h in this part of the track despite being powered by a Mercedes engine. This further underlines how crucial energy management and deployment strategies have become under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.