The 2026 F1 season began with drama at the Australian Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen fought from last on the grid to sixth place but left the race calling the new machinery “super frustrating” to drive.
The four-time world champion started 20th after a qualifying crash and spent the race battling tyre problems, power issues, and a battery that struggled to recharge.
His race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, later fired back over team radio, pointing out that drivers at the front seemed delighted with the same new rules.
George Russell led a dominant victory for Mercedes, finishing ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli. Lando Norris finished fifth, just ahead of Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton placed fourth for Scuderia Ferrari.
For Verstappen and Red Bull Racing, the race marked a difficult start to the season under F1’s new 2026 technical rules.
A qualifying disaster set the scene for a “frustrating” Australian GP
Verstappen’s weekend began to unravel during qualifying in Melbourne. A crash left him at the back of the grid and forced him to start the race from 20th place.
He later described the moment with disbelief.
“To lose the car like that on the braking, I’ve never experienced that in my life,” Verstappen said. “I hit the pedal, and suddenly the whole rear axle just completely locked up, so definitely a bit weird.”
The race only deepened his frustration. According to reports by GPBlog and PlanetF1, untelevised team radio captured the problems piling up as he worked through the field.
Early in the race, a virtual safety car followed the retirement of teammate Isack Hadjar. Verstappen asked how to handle the restart procedure with the new car.
“When VSC ends, I have to use the boost button?” he asked.
Lambiase walked him through the process step by step. He told the Dutch driver to recharge first and then hold the boost button for two or three seconds once the track went green to avoid lag.
Soon, the tyres became the next issue. On Lap 17, Verstappen warned, “They are no good, mate. They’re just dying.”
More trouble followed. On Lap 36, he reported a broken boost pattern. Late in the race, the battery failed to recharge properly, forcing him to manage energy carefully.
“Mate, my battery is almost empty. It just doesn’t charge,” Verstappen told Lambiase before adding later in frustration, “The battery, mate. F**k’s sake.”
P20 to P6, but not good enough for Max Verstappen
Despite the chaos, Verstappen pushed through the field. He passed car after car and climbed from 20th to sixth by the finish.
He crossed the line only three seconds behind Norris but more than 54 seconds behind Russell’s winning Mercedes.
The result marked Verstappen’s worst start to a season since 2022, when he retired late in the opening race in Bahrain.
Moments after the chequered flag, Lambiase praised the comeback drive.
“OK, Max. Good effort. Not a bad recovery, that. P6,” he said.
Verstappen thanked the team but made his frustration clear.
“Yeah, thank you, guys. You guys all worked very hard for this, and you’ve done a really good job,” he said. “It’s just super frustrating to drive.”
Lambiase responded with a pointed remark.
“Frustrating? There’s drivers up front, Max, elated with this whole thing.”
The comment echoed the mood in the winning garage. Russell said he loved the new car and engine after the race and later told reporters the 2026 cars are “definitely a step forward.” Hamilton also said earlier in the weekend that the new machines “otherwise feel good” despite a lack of power.
Mercedes’ one-two finish suggested the team had adapted quickly to the new rules.
Red Bull now heads to the next round in the Chinese Grand Prix searching for answers. For Max Verstappen, the season has already begun with plenty of frustration.
