Max Verstappen has once again lashed out at the new F1 regulations. After a late retirement in China, where Red Bull called the Dutchman in due to a technical problem, he went on another tirade to the media. His colleagues from Mercedes and Ferrari put on an entertaining fight in Shanghai, but according to Verstappen, the action in 2026 is still too artificial. He hopes this ‘joke’ will be over soon and continues to push for adjustments.
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Verstappen took extensive time to speak to the press after the Chinese GP. He briefly touched on his retirement and the problems at Red Bull, but then shifted the focus back to the regulations. The four-time world champion has been very outspoken about the current F1 era in recent months and is doing everything he can to work with the FIA to find solutions. The race in Shanghai provided plenty of spectacle – especially at the front – but according to Verstappen, this way of racing deviates too much from the core values of Formula 1. He continues to push for changes.
‘I would say that even if I won’
“It’s terrible,” Verstappen complained. “If anyone likes this, then they really don’t know what racing is about. It’s not fun at all, it’s just like a kind of Mario Kart. This isn’t racing. You overtake someone, then your battery is empty, and on the next straight you get overtaken again,” he summarized the problem. “To me, it’s just a big joke.” Mercedes and Ferrari were able to compete for podium places at the front again. At first glance, that produced some nice battles, but according to Verstappen, that is an illusion.
“In the end, it’s just Kimi (Antonelli, ed.) and George (Russell, ed.) who win, right?” he reacted sarcastically. “It’s not a real back-and-forth fight, they are just miles ahead of the rest. Ferrari sometimes has a good start and works its way forward, but a few laps later the hierarchy is restored. Like I said, this has nothing to do with racing. I would say that even if I were winning, by the way,” Verstappen emphasized. “I care about the product, so it has nothing to do with my current position.”
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F1 regulation undermines the sport
According to the Dutchman, the regulations are ‘fundamentally flawed’ and it is ‘painful’ that Formula 1 cannot switch to a new cycle sooner. “I think the organization will understand where we as drivers are coming from. I speak for most of us, although some will obviously say it’s great because they are winning races. That’s fine too; if you have an advantage, why would you give it up? After all, you never know if you’ll ever have a good car again. But most drivers will say it’s not fun, just like the real F1 fans. The fans who do like it don’t understand anything about racing,” he added. “Hopefully, we’ll be rid of this as soon as possible.”
Verstappen already warned in 2023 that Formula 1 was heading in the wrong direction with the current regulations. He complained that too much electrification would undermine the sport. “Unfortunately, that has happened anyway,” he sighed. “It would be great if we could learn from this for the future.” The media pointed out to Verstappen that – if the vast majority of fans are satisfied – Formula 1 might see no reason to adjust the regulations. “I hope they don’t think that way, because in the end, this ruins the sport,” he responded.
“As long as we keep communicating and working on solutions, that helps a lot,” he concluded hopefully. “Still, it will also be difficult to get everyone on the same side. Ultimately, most people have to agree, otherwise nothing changes. Like I said, it’s politics. Some drivers will be happy now because they have an advantage. That’s fair and I understand that too. But from a sporting point of view, it’s just going in the wrong direction.”
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Read everything about the Chinese GP here
