Max Verstappen remains unconvinced by Formula 1’s new regulations despite a gripping first race in which he rocketed from 20th on the grid to sixth at the finish.
The four-time world champion has been consistent in his criticism of F1’s revamped rules since getting his first taste of his new Red Bull in preseason testing earlier this year.
At the core of the 2026 regulations are a new generation of turbo-hybrid power units that derive half of their power from the V6 engine and half from an electric motor-generator.
Verstappen has called the cars “anti-racing” and like “Formula E on steroids” due to the need for drivers to manage the use of electrical energy around the lap, and after qualifying in Australia said he is not enjoying driving the cars.
Asked on Sunday if his opinion on the new rules was still the same after the first race of the new era, he simply answered: “Yep.”
The Red Bull driver, who has a contract to race until the end of 2028, has consistently said he will quit F1 if he doesn’t enjoy driving under the new regulations, and after Sunday’s race called on the sport to take drivers’ concerns seriously.
“Like I said I love racing, but we can only take so much, right?” he said. “I think they are willing to listen, FIA and F1, I just hope of course that there is some action.
“I mean it’s not that I’m the only one saying it, I think a lot are saying it, if it’s drivers, fans, we just want the best for the sport. It’s not like we are critical just to be critical, we are critical for a reason, we want it to be F1, proper F1 on steroids, today that of course was again not the case.”
Asked if F1 should be concerned about him walking away, he added: “I think what they should worry about is the rules, just focus on that.
“They ask questions, and I give my opinions on what I would like to see, and what I think is better for the sport because I do care about it, I do love racing, and I want it to be better than this, right?
“Let’s see what we can do. I hope that even maybe during this year we can come up with some different solutions so it becomes more enjoyable for everyone.”
With the next major engine regulation change scheduled for the end of 2030, it remains to be seen if an answer can be found to the fundamental limitations of new regulations in the intervening five years.
Albert Park, the venue for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, is among the most energy-limited circuits on the calendar, which fully exposed the weaknesses of the new rules in qualifying and contributed to battery deployment being the defining factor for overtaking in the race.
F1 and the FIA have said it is open to tweaking the regulations this year if necessary, but Verstappen believes a short or medium-term solution is unlikely.
“I mean it’s not like little tweaks, for sure,” he said.
