As we head towards the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, I feel ready and excited to go racing again.

It’s been an unusually busy winter, but one that I believe has put us in a positive position for the year ahead.

I enjoyed the short winter break, which felt more like the summer shutdown than a traditional off-season. Now, as we go to Melbourne to start the 2026 campaign, it’s a moment I’ve been looking forward to for about nine months now.

Adapting to a major reset

This is one of the biggest regulation changes we’ve seen in Formula One, especially in my career. It’s definitely more complex for the teams and us drivers. Inside the car, energy management now plays a huge role and we need to be smart in how we approach each lap.

There are new systems, new tools, and fresh processes and procedures inside the cockpit.

I think we’ll see a big evolution in the new cars from Australia to the middle of the season. The rate of development is going to be significant, and I’m excited to see how it will play out.

Building momentum during testing

The lead-up to Melbourne has been far busier than usual. We’ve already had ten on-track days with the A526. In a normal season, you might have a day and a half in the car before going racing. This year, I’ve had four and a half days, which is incredibly valuable with a brand-new package.

Overall, I’m pleased with the work we’ve done. We achieved a decent amount of running with the car in Bahrain - personally, I’ve completed 325 laps (1,759km) - and each lap we’ve done, we’ve learned more.

We’re discovering different ways to extract performance with the new regulations and we’ve made good steps since Barcelona as we’ve understood the car more and found a clear direction. And before the long flight to Melbourne, I was back at Enstone where I spent two days on the simulator to ensure we’re fully prepared.

A team united

If there’s one thing that stands out to me heading into this season, it’s the spirit within the team. I’ve been incredibly impressed by the mindset and mentality at Enstone and those tough moments in recent times has made all of us stronger.

The effort at Enstone has been immense. Long shifts, late nights, and a real determination to move forward. I’m feeling positive, energised, and ready for that moment in Australia when the racing gets underway.

Let’s go!

Pierre