Will this year's St Kilda GP turn into a mickey mouse event?
Yes, it will. F1 has a deal with Disney. The "Fuel the Magic" hook-up brings Mickey and friends into F1 through content, merchandise and fan experiences.
But don't worry, the ciggie companies also have great deals with McLaren and Ferrari that bring promotional inventory and branding into the same smoky homes as Mickey, Donald, the Little Princess and Dopey. No ethical conflict there!
It's hakuna matata hypocrisy. The 2026 series is built on flying freight and people around the planet, massive temporary infrastructure and "sustainability" messaging that can feel like a glossy wrapper over a fundamentally carbon-heavy business model. Plus, the racing can start to look like battery babysitting, which makes the whole thing feel like a PR project rather than sport.
And nothing says sustainability like a pack of Marlboro 25s for $70. When I gave up, they were 40c and if things were a bit tough the milk bar owner would sell you a single one. Most of the kids at my school had matches, so it wasn't a bad deal. As British American Tobacco (BAT) so nicely put it: BAT and McLaren – a collaboration rooted in advanced technology.
Anyway, back to the cars.
Smaller, lighter and powered by a spreadsheet
They are smaller, lighter, thinner and more woke. The power is coming 50 per cent from an electric motor and 50 per cent from an internal combustion engine. The key thing to know is that there is a finite amount of energy available to every driver. That means when you're running low, you have to harvest power. The best drivers now will be the best energy managers.
And crucially, there's already chatter that the new rules could create energy management weirdness: drivers lifting and coasting, "super clipping", and racing that feels like it's being run by the battery-level icon.
Mad Max Verstappen (GOAT) called the new rules "anti-racing" and said it would look like "Formula E on steroids". Hamo says the 2026 rules are "ridiculously complex". And Big Bernie, 95, of Gnome Land and his coffee farm in Brazil, warned us that all this is less about racing and more about rules – and the danger is losing fans.
The new start procedure – five seconds of blue-panel panic
Let's take the start. This year, the starts are trickier because the turbo can't be helped anymore. A turbo is basically a little windmill that uses the engine's exhaust to spin a compressor, forcing extra air into the engine. More air means you can burn more fuel, which means more power, like giving the engine a set of lungs. In 2026 the turbo only spins up when the engine is revving and pushing exhaust through it. If the turbo isn't already spinning hard when the lights go out then you get a moment of turbo lag. And that's deadly when 20 cars launch off together.
That's why there's a new step on the grid. Once everyone stops in their boxes, the panels flash blue for five seconds. Drivers will use that time to bring the revs up and get the turbo already wound up, then hold steady so hopefully the clutch release matches the power.
Audi and Cadillac arrive
Anyway, there are two new teams: Audi and Cadillac. Cadillac deserves the Nobel prize for alchemy by turning paperwork into an F1 team in 12 months. But our best bets remain on Gorgeous George, Mad Max, Chuck and Hamo.
Chuck goes full fairytale
Speaking of Chuck, F1 has a new power couple and they made their exit in peak fairytale style. Ferrari's Chuck Leclerc has reportedly married influencer Alexandra Saint Mleux, 23, in an intimate civil ceremony in Monaco, sharing sweet snaps from the day (including a few scene-stealing moments with their dog, Leo).
And because this is Leclerc, the "just married" getaway car wasn't exactly subtle; the pair was spotted gliding through the principality in a vintage 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa – a red, drop-dead gorgeous collector's piece widely valued around the $20m mark.
Alexandra reportedly wore a custom Paolo Sebastian gown, sparkling jewellery and that unmistakeable newlywed glow, while Charles looked every inch Monaco's homegrown leading man. Both live above the shop in Monte Carlo.
Qatar calls off the party
And in other gossip: Qatar Airways has hit pause on the Champagne – and the timing is everything. According to an AFR report, the airline has cancelled its hospitality events for this weekend's Formula 1 race in Melbourne, ringing invited guests to say it would be inappropriate to host celebrations while some passengers are still stranded in the Middle East due to the war in Iran.
Qatar had planned a VIP dinner at Melbourne CBD favourite Marmelo on Friday, plus access to the F1 Paddock Club. But in a swift change of plans, guests were told the dinner was off, all hospitality had been scrapped, and even race-day invitations had been withdrawn. Look, I get cancelling the party but I had knocked back heaps of other invites for the Qatar Paddock Club and Marmelo combo.
Try the NSW Production Championships
If you were left out this weekend, buy a ticket straight to Sydney Motorsport Park for the NSW Production Championships next weekend. No electric, no blue panels and no turbo lag, just world-famous international superstars like yours truly and co-driver, horse rider and trainer Eleanor Webber, who has traded horses for horsepower in the Raceway Track Time RX-8.
Reader case: BMW M2 fuel tank and a fresh recall
Last week we told you the story of Victorian reader SG who owns an April 2016 BMW M2. The dealer told him there was a crack in his petrol tank. While warranty coverage was extended for affected cars, he was stung for $3000 because they are "different fuel tanks" – despite having the same part number.
BMW is still ignoring Mr G. But after reading our exposé, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts has issued a recall for 24,000 BMWs because the cars could catch fire.
As usual, we'll keep on the case until Mr G gets a decent outcome.
Stats corner
Finally, if the stats are helpful: plenty of local drivers have won the Australian GP post-war. The most successful is Lex Davidson, who won four, as did Michael Schumacher. Ferrari has been the dominant constructor. No Australians have won since the move to St Kilda. That figures.