Max Verstappen says it’s not easy for the average Formula 1 fan to understand what’s going on during a race.
F1’s popularity has surged in recent years, driven by the film of the same name starring Brad Pitt and the Netflix series Drive to Survive. But the Red Bull driver believes revised technical regulations for 2026, with a greater emphasis on energy management, could make the sport more difficult to follow.
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When asked during Viaplay’s media day what fans would notice from all these changes, Verstappen replied: “It’s going to be complicated to follow and explain. That’s the main thing. At the end of the day it’s still an F1 car – a racing car – and we’ll still be in qualifying and racing. But it will take some time for everyone to adapt.”
“There’s also the overtaking aspect. I honestly don’t know how it’s going to turn out yet. So there’s still a lot of question marks for all of us. On the other hand, it also makes it interesting because it gives you a reason to pay attention.”
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On what this means for him personally, he explained: “You have a lap where you can expend a certain amount of energy and then it depends on how good your engine is and how efficient your car is on the straights. So there are a lot of elements that have to come together.
“But because now everyone has spread their wings on the straights, overtaking and defending will be different. The problem is how much battery you can use at that time, which is also quite limited. Those are still a question mark for us as well.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Verstappen had already been critical of F1’s direction in 2026 during pre-season testing in Bahrain, and speaking on Viaplay he once again questioned whether F1 is on the right path under the new rules.
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Asked whether the new way of driving in F1 was at least exciting, he said: “Anything that’s driven at the limit is difficult. Whether it’s a Formula 1 car, a GT car or a road car, it doesn’t matter. But some things are more fun to drive than others. And the way we’re currently trying to explain it to a general audience – and even when I look at the data – I do ask myself: is this really what we want?”
Verstappen stressed that adapting to different driving styles is not a problem. “But is it the most enjoyable way? No, it’s not,” he insists, and his views won’t change even if Red Bull dominate this season.
“For me, it’s not about the results. At the end of the day, it has to be enjoyable and you need to have fun in what you do. Even if you’re the best at your job – whether it’s racing or something else – you still have to enjoy your job. If you don’t enjoy your job, it’s not going to last. I think that applies to everyone. If you don’t enjoy doing your job, it’s definitely not going to be good.”
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The four-time world champion even said during pre-season testing that the new regulations had done little to encourage him to extend his F1 career.
When asked directly how long he expected to stay at the World Championships, he responded: “Hopefully it will be a long time. But it’s always hard to predict. Everything is a bit hard to evaluate at the moment, including where we are. Hopefully everything will be better than expected.”
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