By the time you read this Friday morning, the first two practice runs at the Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne will have completed, and the results and data will be pored over by the teams as qualifying for Sunday's Grand Prix race will occur Saturday. Below are two videos to get you ready for what will be an interesting championship, considering what's happened in testing under the new regulations.

There are many rules changes and adjustments to the cars for 2026, and this comprehensive video by "The Race" provides all the information you'll need to follow fully the 2026 Championship:

McLaren's Lando Norris is the reigning champion and McLaren the reigning constructors champion.

My take: Testing was a hot mess. The new biofuel is not performing to the teams' liking. The cars are struggling to get off the grid line, making the drama of turn 1 much less than in previous seasons. It will take the drivers some time to understand how the cars respond under race tactics and how the electric motor will perform under various conditions. It's a new era for F1, Hope you follow along this season.

If you're new to the sport or were inspired to give it another shot by the "F1" movie and would like to understand more how the sport works in all aspects, check out the docuseries "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" on Netflix. You don't have to start at the beginning, you can watch the most recent season, which documents the 2025 championship.