Max Verstappen once again expressed criticism of the current F1 regulations after the Chinese GP. In a remarkably long tirade, he repeatedly called on the FIA to make adjustments. The battle between Ferrari and Mercedes in Shanghai did not change his opinion; according to him, the fights were artificial and predictable. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff nuanced that criticism and emphasized that Verstappen is simply driving a ‘terrible car’.
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In recent weeks, Max Verstappen has repeatedly lashed out at the new regulations. After almost every session, he commented on what he considers artificial action on the track, including after the Chinese GP. The fact that Mercedes and Ferrari seemed to provide a spectacular overtaking show changed little about his opinion. According to Toto Wolff, we must not forget that Verstappen is simply not very competitive at the moment; his Red Bull car was nowhere to be seen in China. After a difficult qualifying session, the RB22 didn’t even reach the finish line on Sunday.
“At the moment, it’s really a horror show for Max (Verstappen, ed.)”, Wolff clarified to the media. “If you look at the footage of his qualifying, you just see that he has a terrible car, that’s more than clear. It’s a different story for many other teams.” Mercedes itself is benefiting optimally from the new regulations. Both in Melbourne and Shanghai, the Silberpfeile achieved a one-two finish.
‘The product is good’
Wolff therefore emphasized that the action in China – artificial or not – was quite entertaining. “From an entertainment point of view, I think we saw a great race today, especially between Ferrari and Mercedes“, he explained. “There were a lot of overtakes. In Formula 1, we have also experienced times when there was literally no overtaking”, he noted. “Sometimes we are too nostalgic about the good old days, but I think the product itself is good at the moment. We also saw quite a bit of action in the midfield, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s only positive.”
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However, Wolff acknowledged that there is room for improvement, particularly in qualifying. There, drivers sometimes have to lift off to save their battery, which critics like Verstappen say undermines the nature of Formula 1. “For someone like Verstappen, who always drives on the limit, that is difficult to accept”, the Mercedes team principal thinks. “But that is also partly due to the car. If Max were to watch the race on TV, he too would admit it was quite an interesting race.” Wolff again emphasized that the fans’ opinion is leading and that he mainly hears positive feedback on that front. “Of course, it would be nice if drivers could go flat out again, but if you look at the reactions from fans, both online and at the track, everyone is fully enjoying the sport. Everything indicates that people are satisfied.”
Verstappen: ‘I would also say this if I won’
Verstappen himself indicated that his criticism has nothing to do with Red Bull’s current competitiveness. “I would react the same way if I were winning”, Verstappen emphasized on Sunday. “I care about the product, so it has nothing to do with my current position.” He is still lobbying for adjustments with the FIA. “Ultimately, most people have to agree, otherwise nothing changes”, he explained. “As I said, it’s politics. Some of us will be happy now because they are at an advantage”, he said, referring to Mercedes. “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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