A technical term that debuted in Melbourne has quickly become one of the defining concepts of the 2026 Formula 1 season — and understanding it is essential to making sense of what's happening on track.
The 2026 Formula 1 season has already introduced a wave of new terminology that fans and analysts are still getting to grips with. The latest concept to enter the lexicon emerged during the Australian Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne: super-clipping. Here is everything you need to know about why it matters so much.
The season opener confirmed many of the fears that had been circulating in the paddock. Mercedes arrived in Australia as the dominant force, and George Russell took the victory as rivals looked on in frustration.
While the Silver Arrows departed Melbourne largely satisfied, drivers from multiple teams spent the weekend voicing their displeasure — both in the paddock and, loudly, on social media. The core complaint was clear: the new regulations place energy management above conventional racing dynamics, fundamentally changing how Formula 1 cars are driven.
One of the biggest challenges teams now face is recovering and storing electrical energy in the battery of the new power units. The traditional method for doing this is lift and coast — a technique in which the driver releases the throttle early before a braking zone, allowing the car to coast and the MGU-K to harvest kinetic energy in the process.
Super-clipping is a more complex and, in some ways, more demanding technique. The term refers to a situation in which energy recovery occurs at the end of a straight or through a high-speed corner — while the driver still has the throttle fully open. The result is a deceleration effect even though the driver is not braking and is not lifting off the accelerator. In other words, the car slows down despite the driver demanding full power.
The trade-off is significant. When super-clipping is applied, maximum speed on the straight is reduced because a portion of the energy that would otherwise be sent directly to the rear wheels is instead diverted to the MGU-K for storage and later use. It is a tool that sacrifices immediate performance in exchange for a later strategic advantage.
Why are the drivers so angry about the 2026 rules?
The frustration among the drivers is widespread and vocal. At the Australian Grand Prix, Lando Norris described the 2026 cars as "probably the worst ever made," arguing that the near-equal split between internal combustion and electrical power "doesn't work" because of the excessive deceleration that occurs before corners — in essence, the super-clipping effect.
From Norris to Verstappen, the chorus is consistent: Formula 1 drivers do not feel comfortable driving in this way, and they are pushing hard for constructive dialogue with decision-makers to improve what they are experiencing on track.