Oscar Piastri looks ahead on the eve of the new Formula 1 season to the sweeping regulation changes. The Australian predicts a completely new style of racing across the entire grid, with an ‘interesting tactical battle’ to follow. Although Piastri — like his Formula 1 colleagues — still has no idea exactly how the season will unfold, he does think it will be ‘entertaining’ for the fans.
Formula 1 is about to start a wholly new season, where for the first time since 2022 radical rule changes come into effect. The new cars will be smaller and lighter, and the new power units split output at almost 50/50 between the electric component of the hybrid system and the V6 combustion engine. The cars will also feature active aerodynamics.
Oscar Piastri sees how all these changes combined will have a major impact on how they race. “I think the hybrid element and managing the battery level will be very important,” Piastri tells TODAY. “It was already important in the past, but now that element is so much larger from this season, drivers will have to pay a lot more attention to it themselves.”
The Australian therefore expects drivers to adopt different strategies, especially at the start of the season. “Some drivers will be more tactical and save their battery, while others will simply try to secure a good track position. That could produce an interesting tactical battle. To be honest, I have no idea how it will play out, but I think, in any case, it will be entertaining.”
Lessons for 2026
Even though the new regulations bring a reset for the entire grid, Piastri believes the lessons he learned in 2025 will definitely help him in the coming season. “I feel more mature, and more responsible. I now have a better sense of what I want,” the driver sums up. “And I also feel a kind of pride. Although the final result wasn’t exactly what I wanted, I think the success I had is something I could only have dreamed of at the start of the year.”
