Charles Leclerc looks back on the surprisingly fast start of the 2026 Australian Grand Prix and highlights the “clever” role of a FIA official during the start.
Read more Alpine penalized after a pit lane error at the Australian Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc made a spectacular start at the Australian Grand Prix on the Albert Park circuit, moving from fourth on the grid to the lead of the pack by the first corner. Despite an excellent start, the Ferrari driver quickly had to defend his position against the Mercedes of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
“It was a very, very complicated race,” explains Leclerc. “At the start, no one really knew what to expect with these new settings and energy management, and it’s even trickier when you have to overtake or defend.”
Leclerc highlights the difficulties associated with the new 2026 cars, where the engine-battery distribution and power differences on the straights make duels particularly unpredictable.
“You never know when the engine or the battery will kick in on the straight. There are therefore significant speed gaps, but I was happy to find myself in the lead in that first moment of battle.”
The “clever” role of the FIA official
While Leclerc shone at the opening, his choice not to stop during the two Virtual Safety Car periods compromised his chances of victory. He eventually finished third, giving Ferrari a precious podium despite a complex race.
“Unfortunately, that didn’t help for the rest of the race, but it was a fun first segment,” the Monegasque specifies. “Third place is the best result we could have achieved today.”
Read more Mercedes penalized after unusual incident with Antonelli in qualifying
What really surprised Leclerc was how quickly the starting lights went out. For this first race of the season with the new procedures, the official in charge of the start triggered the lights almost instantaneously, unsettling several drivers.
“The person who turns off the lights was quite clever,” admits Leclerc. “For the first start of the season with these cars, going that fast surprised everyone. We are always very close to the limit with the power units, so it played a bit in our favor, but that’s part of the game.”
Leclerc explains that his overtake on Russell at the first corner was made mainly under braking, rather than acceleration, a move made possible by this fast and unpredictable start.
A strategic and decisive start
This dramatic turn of events at the start thus gave Leclerc a temporary advantage, but the rest of the race showed that energy management and strategic stops remain decisive in 2026. For Ferrari, the podium is a reward, but the race also highlights the challenges posed by the new starting procedures and the mastery of power units in this hybrid era.
Leclerc ends on a pragmatic note: despite the initial feat, the 2026 F1 season will be long and every detail will count in the hope of competing with Mercedes.
Read more «From the best to the worst F1 cars»: the new 2026 single-seaters are already dividing the paddock