Drivers give their opinion on the yo-yoing phenomenon resulting from the 2026 rules overhaul.

While F1, the FIA and other interested (winning) parties such as Mercedes and Ferrari, laud the rule changes, particularly the amount of overtaking that we're witnessing, the rest of us insist that it is somewhat artificial.

No clouds of smoke, no smell of burning rubber or caron fibre, no squeals of resistance as drivers seek to out-brake one another into a tight corner, instead we are treated to drivers frantically passing one another with relative ease, as one slows to harvest energy as his rival accelerates in order to release it.

Back and forth they go.

Though these see-saw battles are most obvious at the front of the field, especially with the Ferrari pair making full use of the SF-26's great starts before conceding to the sheer grunt of the Mercedes, they are happening throughout the field and, as you would expect, different drivers have different views.

"I was very sceptical at the beginning of the year," admits Charles Leclerc, "and after testing I had some particular expectations going into the year that weren't very good about racing.

"I've been positively surprised," he adds. "At least for us in the front, it's actually been a lot nicer than what I thought. Surely, you've got some overtakes that are artificial, just like it was the case also with the DRS sometimes last year. However, there are also many overtakes where it's actually on the limit and where you end up in a similar state of the battery at the same point for different circumstances, which makes it actually quite fun. We've seen it in Australia, we've seen it in Shanghai, and I've had a lot more fun than I initially thought.

"I think in qualifying it's not the most fun I've had," he admits, "so this is maybe something that we need to look at. But in terms of fighting, I enjoyed it a lot more than what I thought. And why that's so, it's mostly because Mercedes is quite a bit stronger than us, but as soon as you get out of that optimal window of the battery, you lose a lot of lap time. So that brings the cars together and that's why there's a lot of change of position, together with the fact that the car behind recharges more than the car in front. These two things specifically make it quite difficult to go away once you are in a fight."

"I managed to stay in front for a lot of laps, so to me it was quite fun," says Franco Colapinto. "I think for me it felt better and more fun to be fighting with cars with a different PU because I think that energy management is different between the teams and between the different PU manufacturers, and then it becomes a bit easier, I think, to fight, to defend as well, maybe a bit more difficult, but it kind of brings battles a bit closer with each other because it is so different where the teams use energies, which makes it a bit more interesting.

"I think generally it is difficult to follow, but I've been following some cars closely and it feels better than last year in terms of turbulence and all that kind of thing. To be honest, it felt fun.

"China was a good race and I did enjoy it quite a lot. I enjoyed the defence and when I was attacking others, and generally it was pretty good. It didn't feel too artificial. I think the overtakes were just on the limit all the time. I've seen some that were a bit more artificial, but I think it's part of the changes that the sport made and that's still improving and it's still going in the right direction.

"I think there are still a lot of areas to make better, and the important part is that they are looking at those and that they understand them and that they are having, I think, a clear look at it, and they will make it better with the races. It's been only two races at the minute. It's really early to say if we like it or not, but I think generally it's going to be better with the races as well and with the years."

Asked if the yo-yoing will become a thing of the past as the teams learn about energy management, or whether it is part of the DNA of the regulations, Leclerc says: "I said the same thing actually after Australia, but in Shanghai we had obviously a Sprint race and then the normal race, and so the sprint race was I think a good way to test those strategies and to make sure that we were in a good window for the race.

"Actually, in the race we still had quite a lot of overtakes. So, I think we might see a little bit less of it going forward. However, I was surprised that it didn't get much better from Sprint race to race, in a positive way. I think it was as good for overtaking. So yes, I'm a little bit mixed. After the first race I was pretty sure it was going to get less and less. Yes, there will be less and less yo-yo effect, however after Shanghai probably there's quite a bit coming from the car as well and that will remain."

"Yo-yoing in the racing? I think everyone's going to have a different opinion on this one," admits Lando Norris. "You just use your battery and the next straight you have no battery. The thing is it looks great on TV and the viewers seem to love it. A lot of people seem to love it. It's just a different type of racing. I mean I enjoyed sitting on the sidelines last weekend and watching the battles of Ferrari and things like that. It was cool to see, honestly. So, part of me is like, you know, that's a good thing.

"But some of that racing is because simply the guy who overtakes, because he has to use the battery, then has absolutely zero battery and you're just a complete passenger and you can't do anything. So, you're not exactly racing when you're in that situation as well as you were before.

"It depends on what you want, depends how you want to view it. The FIA are trying to make improvements to these kinds of things and I think they will over time. We're not in a position where I think it's as good as it can be, but we'll give it time."

"I think it's really good for the show," says Oliber Bearman. "I think the races look fantastic, but it's tough sometimes. I had a bit of experience racing with Franco in China and you spend a lap thinking about where to plan the move, then you finally go for it and then he just flies past you on the next straight because he's got so much more battery.

"So, it's really frustrating if you can't get it right. It's not what we've been used to throughout our careers. Normally when you get a better exit, get a better run all the way down the straight, but that's not necessarily the case anymore, which is weird.

"But generally, I think it's been really good for the show and with a bit of optimisation and changes, the FIA have been incredibly receptive to that. I think we can make it just as good for the show but a bit more rewarding for us as drivers. So, I'm excited to see what we can do with this hardware. I think it has fantastic potential."

"I honestly agree," says Liam Lawson. "I think obviously it has potential, it's very early days and I'm sure that it'll get better, but from a driver's perspective that real racing feeling that we are used to is just slightly different this year in the way that you have to plan these moves and sometimes, even if you're clever and you use your battery right, like Ollie said, you can just get passed back basically. So it's something we're getting used to."