Max Verstappen has stated that anyone who enjoys watching Formula 1 in 2026 lacks an understanding of genuine racing, describing the sport’s new regulations as “a joke” following the second round of the season in China.
The Red Bull driver had cautioned the sport as early as 2023 that the new generation of cars would have significant issues, and he has been openly critical of this year’s regulations since his initial experience during preseason testing.
The 2026 regulations require that nearly half of the car’s power is derived from its battery pack, leading to racing scenarios where drivers can gain a considerable edge by activating a boost button, but also situations where they deplete their battery and find themselves lacking power.
Verstappen retired from sixth position at the second grand prix of the season on Sunday, but he indicated that he had gathered enough experience to support his viewpoint.
“It’s still terrible,” he remarked. “I don’t know, if someone enjoys this, then they really don’t understand what racing is about.”
“It’s not enjoyable at all. It’s like playing Mario Kart. This is not racing.”
Verstappen fell to 12th at the beginning of Sunday’s race before maneuvering his way back to sixth and retiring with ten laps to go.
He acknowledged that Red Bull has not been competitive this year, but noted that it has allowed him to experience racing in the middle of the pack.
“Look at the racing,” he continued. “You boost past, then you run out of battery on the next straight. They boost past you again.”
“For me, it’s just a joke.”
Verstappen also downplayed the excitement of the contests between Mercedes and Ferrari drivers for the lead in the first two races, asserting that any claims of improved racing are coming from drivers trying to maintain their competitive edge.
“It’s just Kimi [Antonelli] or George [Russell] winning, right?” Verstappen stated. “It’s not really back and forth. They’re far ahead of the rest of the field.”
“It’s just that Ferrari sometimes has these strong starts that push them to the front, and then it takes a few laps to sort everything out. As I said, this has nothing to do with racing.”
“I would express the same sentiment if I were winning races, because I care about the quality of the racing product. It’s not about being frustrated with my position, as I’m actually fighting even harder now, of course.”
“So you come to understand what you need to do and what it is really about even more. For me, it’s truly a joke.”
F1 has been eager to highlight the number of overtakes following the season opener in Australia and has urged fans and stakeholders to maintain an open perspective regarding the new regulations.
Verstappen hopes that the number of overtakes and its potential to draw new fans to the sport is not the sole consideration in determining whether F1 will modify the new formula.
“I hope they don’t think that way, as it will ultimately harm the sport,” he said. “It will come back to haunt them.”
“For me, as long as we can communicate with them and ensure that we are working on some solutions that will be beneficial. However, it will also be quite challenging for everyone to reach a consensus, of course.”
“Not everyone needs to agree, but a majority must agree to implement changes. But as I mentioned, it’s political, right?
“Some individuals feel they have the upper hand now, and they want to, understandably, take advantage of that. I understand that; I’m not naive. At the same time, if you consider it from the sport’s perspective, it’s simply not good.”
When asked if the rules could be salvaged through minor adjustments within the regulations, Verstappen replied: “You can improve it a little, but it’s fundamentally flawed.”
He was hesitant to elaborate on his discussions with F1 but is confident that most drivers desire some level of change in the future.
“You have to be cautious about how you express these things,” he said. “We are in discussions with F1. I believe they comprehend our perspective as drivers.”
“I think I represent the majority of drivers. Some, of course, will claim it’s great because they are winning races, which is understandable. When you have an advantage, why would you relinquish it? You never know if you’ll have a competitive car again.”
“But if you simply converse with most drivers, it’s not what we prefer. I don’t think it’s what genuine F1 fans appreciate. Perhaps some fans enjoy it, but they don’t grasp racing. Hopefully, we can eliminate this as soon as possible.”
Source: espn.com
