Riccardo Patrese: “Leclerc and Hamilton can fight for victories with a strong Ferrari”. Riccardo Patrese shares his insights on the 2026 F1 season.

A season to decode

The new Formula 1 season will not be easy to decipher. Already from the Australian Grand Prix, drivers, team personnel, and fans will face a style of racing very different from what they were used to. Even Riccardo Patrese, the legendary F1 driver with a 16-year career, admitted to Repubblica: “I wonder if these engineers designing hybrid engines have ever actually driven an F1 car. Drivers will need to manage energy consumption by slowing before a corner, then using power to accelerate on exit. And braking? Forget it. It’s like a video game. For those who drive the old way, it won’t go so well. The pleasure of going fast from start to finish is something else entirely.”

Who is the strongest?

Patrese also tried to outline a hierarchy of the strongest drivers on the grid: “Max Verstappen has shown he can make a difference even without the best package. The most formidable opponent? Leclerc, provided he has a proper and consistent car. Hamilton can return to being the seven-time world-class champion, but it requires a competitive Ferrari. If he already knows he can’t win, he ends up lifting off without realizing it. He no longer has the real hunger, the hunger of young drivers who don’t care and risk everything.”

On the rise of Antonelli

The iconic Italian driver of the 1980s then spoke about Andrea Kimi Antonelli: “I read that Russell with Mercedes is the big favorite. But in this case, there’s also Kimi: I like him a lot, and it’s great that an Italian is back fighting for the title. But he has to earn it with teeth and nails. Don’t talk to me about age or lack of experience: Hamilton almost won in his first year. Kimi Antonelli has already had the chance to learn, and this is a train he must catch in full stride,” Riccardo Patrese concluded.

Riccardo Patrese’s critique of the 2026 “video game” regulations shows that while technology evolves, the fundamental demand for a competitive car remains the deciding factor for legends like Lewis Hamilton. With the spotlight firmly on Ferrari’s consistency and the rapid rise of Kimi Antonelli, the Australian Grand Prix marks the beginning of a season where mental adaptation to energy management will be just as vital as raw speed.