Was that real racing or just Overtake Mode? Lack of data leaves us in the dark

On the face of it, Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix provided the tonic Formula 1 needed after a doubtful start to its new era of technical regulations.

Saturday’s qualifying session had been an unedifying spectacle. Drivers nursed their energy-starved new power units around their flying laps, backing off by over 50kph approaching some of the fastest corners.

Compared to that, the opening laps of the Australian Grand Prix appeared to serve up exactly the drama F1 badly needed.

The Ferraris scorched off the line to make trouble for the Mercedes. George Russell and Charles Leclerc swapped the lead, sometimes more than once in the same lap.

The drivers were still clearly lifting and coasting significantly from corner to corner as they were in qualifying. But the increased power and flexibility of their electrical systems gave them new scope to attack.

This is encouraging for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Melbourne has always been one of the trickier tracks to pass on, yet today we saw moves into turns one, three, nine and 11.

Secondly, after testing some drivers had expressed concerns that the changes to the cars’ aerodynamics this year had made it harder to follow other cars closely. However it seems the cars’ extra power – when drivers are able to use it all – can help overcome the dreaded slipstream effect which has so often frustrated racing.

But just as was the case after qualifying yesterday, it’s important not to draw conclusions too hastily. The picture we’ve seen at one particular circuit may not be repeated elsewhere.

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The introduction of a new set of regulations often produces drama simply because the drivers are still getting used to unfamiliar cars. When the last new set of regulations was introduced in 2022, drivers initially commented that the attempts to reduce the slipstream effect had been successful, but as teams improved their aerodynamic development the old problems soon returned.

Aside from that, there is also one significant question mark over the authenticity of the racing F1 provided on Sunday.

This was the first race since F1 replaced its Drag Reduction System with the new Overtake Mode. The two systems work on similar principles: when a chasing car gets within a second of another they can deploy a speed boost. DRS delivered that by allowing drivers to lower their rear wings. However now drivers have adjustable aerodynamics at the front and rear of the car, the new Overtake Mode instead delivers a burst of extra power.

How much of a difference did that make? On the face of Sunday’s race, it’s impossible to tell.

When a driver made a pass with DRS, fans could see the rear wing dropping. But aside from an early message from race control stating ‘Overtake Mode active’, viewers received no information about the system. The crucial information about when drivers were using Overtake Mode was entirely absent.

Nonetheless it clearly had a significant bearing on the action. Russell mentioned to Leclerc in the cool-down room that he neglected to deploy it at one point. “I screwed up here,” he remarked, “I didn’t press my overtake – I thought it was done and I didn’t press the overtake.”

Were any of the overtakes in today’s grand prix entirely down to the skill of the driver? How many of them came about because they were able to deploy the new replacement for DRS? Without that knowledge, it remains to be seen whether today’s apparently thrilling wheel-to-wheel action was genuine.

Those who liked DRS anyway, or came to accept it, may not care. For those who prefer real racing, the one thing worse than DRS is invisible DRS.

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2026 Australian Grand Prix

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