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Safety Car Shapes the Melbourne Opener

05.06.2026 - First race is behind us! Congratulations to Toyota and Starostachev II on the victory.

The Safety Car definitely had a big impact on the race outcome in Melbourne and reshuffled the results. Without it, Starostachev II, Cannon, and Vidmar would probably have been fighting for the win right until the finish. Instead, the timing of the Safety Car changed the picture completely and allowed Novikov and McGee to take full advantage of the situation and secure somewhat unexpected podium finishes. Cannon’s mistake in Turn 1 on lap 46 also played a key role in shaping the podium fight, as it effectively took him out of contention for the win and opened the door for others to benefit.

Kubica and Kalnins were also among the big beneficiaries. Kubica was running 10th before the Safety Car, while Kalnins was down in 13th, but they eventually climbed to 5th and 8th respectively after the timing of the Safety Car worked in their favour.

The Safety Car also seemed to hurt Pegaso more than anyone else. They put themselves in a very strong position with a shorter first stint. They were running as 5th and 6th before the Safety Car, however, they ended up on the wrong side of it and will be disappointed not to score any points in the end. The same applied to Porsche. They were the only points-scoring team that did not pit when the Safety Car came out, which proved costly in the end. Despite that, they still managed to limit the damage with 6th and 7th place finishes.

The final two points positions went to Llorens and Rose, who picked up valuable points for Ferrari and Chevrolet respectively.

Overall, it was an entertaining start to the season and a reminder that raw pace alone is never enough. Strategy, timing, and a bit of luck with the Safety Car can completely change the outcome of the race.