At the start of the Australian Grand Prix, many Formula One drivers lined up on the grid with almost empty batteries, which affected their race launches. Teams struggled to manage electrical energy during the formation lap before the race began.
The issue was linked to the new 2026 power units and how drivers warmed their tyres and brakes. During the formation lap, drivers repeatedly accelerate and brake to prepare the car, which uses a lot of battery energy.
At the same time, the circuit in Melbourne offers limited chances to recharge energy through braking, so several cars reached the grid with very low battery levels.
Another complication is the rule that cars cannot use electric power when standing on the grid and cannot deploy it until the car reaches about 50 km/h after the start. This made the lack of battery more noticeable for some teams.
Because of this, some drivers had slow launches and had to spend the first lap recharging their batteries instead of attacking rivals. The situation also created big speed differences between cars at the start.
Teams admitted they did not manage the battery energy well enough during the formation lap and will need to improve their procedures for future races.