Max Verstappen has doubled down on his criticism of F1’s new guidelines, labeling the game as his “least favourite period”.
4-time F1 world champion Verstappen has made a sequence of disparaging feedback in regards to the new 2026 rules in current weeks, saying the brand new automobiles are “not very enjoyable” and “like System E on steroids.”
The Crimson Bull driver continued his harsh criticism of the brand new period of F1 throughout an look on the As much as Pace podcast, explaining: “The automotive has much less grip. It is popping out of corners a lot quicker. The automotive has much less grip.”
“Additionally, the general structure of the automotive is totally totally different. The tires are totally different, so the way in which it drives when cornering can be very totally different. The best way it generates grip can be just a little totally different, it is not by means of the ground.”
“You will in all probability slip just a little extra and have extra energy popping out of the nook. So much less grip makes it just a little tougher to manage. And naturally it relies upon just a little bit on what sort of nook you are popping out of. So in slower corners, it simply takes longer to get to full throttle.”
“I would say it is truly a little bit of a change from the previous few years, the place you’d soar within the automotive in pre-season and return. It is like muscle reminiscence and the automotive is simply usually higher than it was the yr earlier than, and it is truly fairly a protracted day simply to get again on observe and do the check gadgets. However now I undoubtedly must rethink my driving and strategy just a little bit as properly.”
“I in all probability do not prefer it very a lot, however that is as a result of I believe administration is a phrase that can be utilized all year long. I believe that is the proper phrase.”
2026 guidelines ‘not pure F1’
Regardless of harsh criticism, Verstappen insists he’ll get essentially the most out of Crimson Bull’s 2026 Challenger, which would be the staff’s first in-house engine.
“On the finish of the day, whenever you go right into a match, you all the time do the most effective with what you’ve gotten, as a result of it is the identical for everybody,” continued the Dutchman.
“However whereas some issues are extra enjoyable than others, for me personally it’s not that a lot enjoyable.
“However, after all, I do know that after I’m sitting within the automotive I am all the time going to provide my greatest, and the identical goes for the fellows who designed the automotive and the engine this yr, and to see them ranging from scratch and giving us an influence unit that works so properly was actually unbelievable. There’s nothing mistaken with it. Is it quick sufficient? I do not know. We’ll have to attend and see.”
“Actually, it is actually nice to have the ability to work with such nice folks. So for me to say it is not essentially the most enjoyable isn’t very nice. However I additionally wish to say, after all, after I’m sitting within the automotive, I do know I am all the time going to do my greatest. However yeah, it is simply not likely enjoyable. I imply, this isn’t pure F1.
Verstappen isn’t the one one making feedback. Fellow F1 world champions Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris have expressed destructive views in regards to the new guidelines.
