Although Ferrari won on Sunday, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff gave a thumbs-up to the 'new' Formula 1 after the 2017 season opener.
On a competitive level, however, Wolff's colleague Niki Lauda called it a "wake-up call".
"The best wake-up call is early morning, so now we are awake," said the F1 legend.
The fans will relish a two-team battle for wins after years of Mercedes dominance, and the now visibly faster and harder-to-drive cars.
As for the spectacle overall, some are worried that the lack of overtaking moves in Melbourne is a red flag for F1.
"Overall, I like the new Formula 1," Wolff told German broadcaster RTL.
"But obviously the overtaking is a problem. It might have been a bit to do with the circuit in Melbourne."
New Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas said after the race: "It was definitely harder to follow other cars in Melbourne this year compared to last year."
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won the season-opening grand prix, with Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Bottas rounding out the podium.
