Teams, Drivers Troll Formula 1's New Style Of 'Mario Kart' Racing
Fortunately, a team hasn't thrown banana peels... yet
We got our first taste of the new 2026 Formula 1 cars this past weekend in Australia, and at first, I was liking what I was seeing.
Ferrari was quick off the line as we all expected, but Mercedes — with what is believed to be the most powerful engine — fought back, giving us a multi-lap battle for the lead between Charles Leclerc and George Russell.
It was great… until you realized why it was happening.
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The new engine regulations place greater emphasis on the electrical power coming from the battery. So, it needs to be charged, which requires lifting early on straights or downshifting through corners.
Then, drivers also have a "Boost" button that gives them extra power.
Add them together, and this is how we got that battle. While it was entertaining, some complained that it was artificial.
It has since been compared to Mario Kart, thanks to this comment from Leclerc during the scrap.
So, as F1 rolls into Shanghai this weekend, teams and drivers are trolling the new regulations with some hilarious Mario Kart comments.
Let's start with the team that made this comparison famous, Ferrari.
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They started the race weekend with a video in which they swapped out Leclerc's boost button for one that looks like the mushroom from the game.
However, Ferrari is one of the teams that has seemed happy with the regulations. So, let's check in on someone who hates them and has no problem saying it.
The Red Bull star was asked if drivers who spend more time in the simulator are more inclined to get their heads around these new cars (not sure how it could hurt, but whatevs).
According to ESPN, Max also confirmed that he has no plans to leave F1, despite saying he would if these regulations were not to his liking.
This comes after the Dutchman announced plans to cross a run in the Nürburgring 24 Hours GT race off his bucket list. He'll compete at this year's event, in which he will drive, funny enough, a Mercedes-AMG GT3.