Martin Brundle joins calls for F1 2026 tweaks after ‘crazy’ Australian GP ‘situation’

Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle has backed calls to tweak Formula 1’s new power unit rules after drivers were forced into the “crazy situation” of downshifting on straights to harvest battery power.

Formula 1 had its first competitive experience of the all-new era as the season got underway with the Australian Grand Prix, which was won by George Russell in a Mercedes 1-2, with Charles Leclerc third.

Martin Brundle backs Formula 1 power unit rule tweak

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

Leclerc and Russell engaged in a thrilling battle throughout the opening laps as the lead changed hands eight times before Russell pitted under the first VSC while Leclerc stayed out.

Going wheel-to-wheel, there were even two lead changes on one lap as Leclerc began Lap 8 in P1 but lost the lead to Russell at Turn 3, only to fight back through Turns 9/10 to regain it.

But while that was entertaining, it had little to do with the drivers’ skills – other than ensuring the pass was clean – and everything to do with their batteries.

Given the constant balance between harvesting and deployment, Brundle says he understands why drivers are frustrated by the dynamics of the new 50/50 electrical and combustion split.

“I enjoyed the Melbourne race, the opening 11 laps were very dynamic and it appeared that a well-managed battery deployment could get a car into an overtake position, but the driver then had to finish the job off into the corner,” the nine-time podium finisher wrote in his column for Sky F1.

“The punch and counter-punch of Russell vs Leclerc was entertaining.

“They were all learning literally lap by lap, but what frustrates the drivers is that they can be overly slow in – say – Turn 4 by being late on the power, but that lost lap time was easily recovered and improved upon later in the lap because of more battery charge.

“In other words, what appears as a costly mistake turns into an overall advantage down the next straight. And so they’d try to replicate elements of that.

“I can fully understand their frustrations at that counterintuitive variability, along with the golden opportunities to make big mistakes and smash up their cars and look silly.”

More from the Australian GP on PlanetF1.com

George Russell responds to Lando Norris ‘worst cars’ criticism of F1 2026 regulations

Sainz warns F1 Straight Line Mode is ‘dangerous’ fix for engine issue

The Sky pundit revealed that some teams have suggested a change to the regulations whereby the drivers would have less top-end battery power but that it would last for longer.

That would largely remove the need to slow down at the end of the straights while downshifting to harvest battery power.

After all, says Brundle, the most important goal in Formula 1 should be the “sport” and the “show.”

“It has always been made clear by the FIA that they would adjust the parameters if and when required, and that unquestionably needs to happen once we have more clarity from a couple more circuits,” he explained.

“I know there are several suggestions from teams, some along the lines of reducing the kinetic motor output, meaning you can deploy less battery power but for longer, and not having the crazy situation where cars are slowing down towards the end of straights with drivers actually downshifting while still flat-out. That’s called ‘super clipping’… you’ll probably not want to know!

“We don’t need well over 1000 horsepower or brief 230mph top speeds, cars never look faster than when they are wheel-to-wheel, and I’ve stood beside an F1 track for 40 years and can’t tell the difference between 200mph and 230mph.

“We are a sport and a show and that must take absolute priority, and I have every confidence we can find a satisfactory way with these current cars and power units. The last PUs were in play between 2014 and 2025 but this set of regulations will not get close to that.

“Deploying less battery for longer will also reduce the risk of straight-line rear-end shunts which can and will happen at the moment, and hopefully the teams can sort out the start protocols because Franco Colapinto’s start-line near-miss in Melbourne was scary.

“When they are operating normally in some parts of the track these lower downforce cars look great. More svelte and nimble, and a bit lively. The narrower tyres add to that, and there’s so much pleasure to be had watching great drivers on the limit of grip. Another positive has been the fact that in a rear slide they look significantly more recoverable than last year’s cars.”

The Briton has backed Formula 1 as a whole to resolve the battery deployment issues, which especially on the starts could be “dangerous”. Colapinto and Liam Lawson almost found out how dangerous as the Racing Bulls driver struggled to get off the line with Colapinto having to take sharp avoiding action to avoid a huge crash.

Brundle said: “The current raw product will take some smoothing out, but the might and resource of the F1 teams will prevail.

“But many of us knew these regulations were partially flawed some years ago when announced. To triple the output of the kinetic electrical motor (MGU-K) and yet remove the very efficient generator from the turbocharger (MGU-H) was always going to make it difficult to harvest enough battery juice, especially on high-speed and minimal braking circuits like Melbourne.

“Some Le Mans cars collect electrical energy from the front wheels too, called front-axle regen, but we don’t have that in F1 as the weight and packaging would be a compromise.

“Those decisions years ago were made to satisfy some manufacturers who wanted to enter, or remain, in F1. Something approaching 50/50 battery/engine at maximum power and sustainable fuels with road-relevant technology very much appealed to them. I’m told that MGU-Hs are not road-relevant.

“But what we’ve ended up with is a car which can largely deplete all of its battery capacity in one decent straight. And a nasty knock-on effect of losing that turbo MGU-H is that standing starts have become extremely difficult to consistently deliver, and some cars are not getting off the line at all well, which is dangerous.”

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: Formula Net Zero: F1’s soul is being destroyed by the 2026 rules