Max Verstappen says he is "not having fun" driving the new Formula One cars, having crashed out of qualifying in the first session at the Australian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman, who finished second in the drivers' championship last season, spun out of Q1 as he hit the brakes on the approach to Turn 1.

Verstappen hurt his wrists during the crash but confirmed he had been cleared to race on Sunday after having X-rays on them, though he will be starting from the back of the grid.

F1 has undergone some of its biggest changes in history, with the drivers still getting to grips with the new generation of cars.

Verstappen has already been critical, likening them to Formula E cars "on steroids" last month, with the new engines moving towards a near 50/50 split between combustion and electrical power.

"I'm definitely not having fun at all with these cars. I don't know," Verstappen said.

Asked by Sky Sports about the crash, Verstappen added: "I didn't speak to the team yet or didn't look into any data [about the crash], but to lose the car like that on the braking, I've never experienced that in my life.

"I hit the [brake] pedal and suddenly the whole rear axle just completely locked up, so definitely a bit weird.

"I think it already went wrong before the downshift because I hit the pedal, and as soon as I hit the pedal, because you quite quickly downshift, it already immediately locked on the peak of the brake pressure, basically.

"So, something very weird, that's for sure."

"I'm all good, nothing broken."

An update from Max after being released from the medical centre.#F1 || #AusGP pic.twitter.com/BUzrsbWho0

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 7, 2026

World champion Lando Norris also appeared to struggle in his first qualifying session in the new cars, finishing sixth in qualifying, 0.957 seconds behind pole sitter George Russell.

Norris, who won in Australia last year, could become the third McLaren driver to win the first race of the year in two consecutive seasons after Ayrton Senna (1990 and 1991) and Alain Prost (1987 and 1988).

However, he has ground to make up if he wants to sit top of the pile by the end of the race, and he acknowledged that he is not gelling with his new car yet.

"I think George will be the only one saying [qualifying] was nice," Norris said.

"It was inconsistent. One lap better, one lap not. It's just tricky. I've been on the back foot from the start of the weekend. I've not done a lot of laps. A lot of issues on the car, which I wish we had less of. It happens.

"Luck hasn't been on my side so far this weekend, including in Q3 with the debris on track and breaking my front wing, so I'm pretty happy with my position.

"We've come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1 and the nicest to drive to probably the worst.

"It sucks, but you have to live with it and just maximise what you get given. It's certainly different. It's certainly not like it was last year."