Lewis Hamilton believes the new Formula One cars are "more fun to drive", though Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso had opposing views.

Ahead of the 2026 season, which gets under way on March 8 in Australia, drivers are adjusting to their new cars following one of the biggest rule changes in the history of the sport.

New regulations have been introduced for engines, chassis, tyres and fuels, impacting the strategies and driving styles for the 11 teams.

The final testing session in Bahrain is currently taking place, which comes after Mercedes' strong showing in Sakhir last week.

Hamilton is enjoying his time in pre-season, believing drivers now have more control of their cars compared to previous years.

"We just have a less downforce," the Ferrari driver said. "But you still have to discover the grip. There's still so many elements completely under our control.

"So, it's just different, and new, and I still find it quite fun.

"The cars are more fun to drive. They're easier to correct. So you have snaps and keep them on track. The previous year's cars were a bit too on edge."

Ready to get back behind the wheel  pic.twitter.com/DoOSLnjVAp

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 18, 2026

Verstappen, meanwhile, has been critical of the new engines, with Red Bull producing their own for the first time, in partnership with Ford.

The four-time world champion previously called the cars "Formula E on steroids" and "just not Formula One", and he doubled down on his comments.

"You're fighting the grip. You're on the limit of what you have, for sure. It's just not as much now," said Verstappen.

"Of course, I also know that this probably is one of the worst [circuits], in terms of the grip feeling that you get from a car, because of the tarmac being so aggressive.

"A lot less downforce but at the same time, you also don't get a lot of combined grip [in the braking and turning phase] at the moment. It's a bit hard to manage."

Alonso, another former F1 champion, added: "You're always on the limit on the grip. It depends on the corners. You're always on the limit on the grip in a rental car if you push to the limit.

"But the high-speed corners, especially, I think it's less challenging. You have to say that. There's nothing wrong with saying that.

"From a driver's point of view, the skills matter less because you can go as fast as the energy choice you make before that corner, so it's a different Formula One."