“Not how it should be…” – Max Verstappen shares the real reason why he’s not a fan of the new Formula 1 rules
Max Verstappen has shared his thoughts on the new Formula 1 rules, saying they limit how much drivers can actually influence a race.
For the 2026 season, the focus has shifted to using more electric power, with new engines that split power between the traditional engine and electric energy. Because of this, drivers now have to watch their battery use closely, making sure they don’t use too much energy too early in the race.
The hope was that these changes would make it easier for drivers to manage their energy during races, but Verstappen disagrees. He thinks the way the technology is set up makes it harder for top drivers to get an edge on the track.
He explained, “If you’re faster through the corners by pressing the throttle more, you end up losing more speed on the straights afterward. That’s not how it’s supposed to be. Normally, if you gain time in corners, that’s just free lap time.”
He added that now drivers have to think a lot about changing gears, braking differently, or how they use the throttle, which wasn’t the case before.
Right now, Verstappen is sixth in the F1 standings as the summer break begins. He’s hoping to make up ground in his last home race at the Zandvoort circuit next week.
To climb higher in the rankings, he’ll need to improve a lot after his first 11 races, and that means getting better at handling the new rules that have been tricky for him in 2026.
When asked more about the changes, Verstappen said the rules stop drivers from showing their full skill on the track.
He said, “You need to be different, but these rules just cancel out a lot of lap time. That’s probably why we see so many close fights between teams and teammates—because you just can’t make much of a difference.”
He finished by saying, “It’s like you’re not allowed to stand out, because if you do, you get punished on the next straight.”