F1 2026 - Round 2 - China - Shanghai 🇨🇳

sk8board · 15-03-2026 06:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124314264#Comment_124314264

not really - past cars stayed ahead by pushing.

Now they have to deploy energy in different parts of the track to defend, versus the places on the track you’d deploy in order to drive a clean fast lap.
once the battery is deployed in the defensive corner, you don’t have it in a push area, so the lap is slower.

Antonella had a 7s gap established in about 3-4 laps, but his lap times were ‘normal’, the other 3 cars were lapping far slower

Frank Bullitt · 15-03-2026 08:16PM

A few racing laps, and once it settled it was done. Merc have so much left in hand, they are cruising.

It still paints a really poxy picture though. Piastri said at the weekend if he pushes the corners more and braking, he sees his delta fall away on the straights because there is no battery. They are punished for trying to go faster in the corners…just think about that.

This really feels ultra artificial. Passing now is a consequence of battery power, not skill.

I really hope it’s fixed.

sk8board · 15-03-2026 10:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124315339#Comment_124315339

and not pushing in the corners where they’re clipping is why the tyre management appears to be far less important, with hard tyres lasting 80% of the race without a second thought

Frank Bullitt · 16-03-2026 01:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124315730#Comment_124315730

Even endurance racing isn’t a timid as this.

But for the few dicey corners, it was very predictable. Drivers just can’t push the corners and make the difference, or at least try to anymore, or they are butchered on the straights.

Say goodbye to the racing old old, now, its charger the battery as much as you can for the straights.

”straights are for fast cars, turns are for fast drivers” - Colin McRae

recyclebin · 16-03-2026 03:16PM

When they kept talking about Megajoules I cringed. Which driver is using overtake mode and which driver is using boost is as clear as mud when watching on TV. Imagine what it's like being a spectactor at the circuit.

I always hated DRS as it made overtaking artificial, but at least you could tell when the driver behind was using it. This years version is way worse.

F1 2026 - Round 2 - China - Shanghai 🇨🇳

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