Max Verstappen has doubled down on his criticism of Formula 1’s new rules, branding them as his “least favourite era”.
Four-time F1 world champion Verstappen has made a series of disparaging comments about the new-for-2026 regulations in recent weeks, saying the new cars are “not a lot of fun” and “like Formula E on steroids”.
The Red Bull driver continued his brutal criticism of F1’s new era during an appearance on the Up to Speed podcast, explaining: “The car has less grip. It accelerates a lot faster out of the corner.
“Also, the whole layout of the car is completely different. The tyres are different, so the way you have to drive it around the corner is very different, because the grip is also generated a little bit differently, less through the floor.
“You are sliding around probably a little bit more, and then you have more power coming out of the corner. So with less grip, that’s a bit harder to manage. And of course, it depends also a bit what kind of corner you’re coming out of. So the lower speed corners, you’re just waiting a longer period of time to go full throttle.
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“It is actually a bit of a change, I would say, to over the last few years, where you would jump back in the car in pre-season, and it’s like muscle memory, and it’s just a better car normally than the year before, and immediately you’re back into things, and it’s actually a very long day of just going through test items. But now, you definitely need to rethink your driving and approach a little bit as well.
“Probably I would say least favourite, but that is because I think the word that you can use for the whole year will be management. I think that’s the right word.”
2026 rules are ‘not pure Formula 1’
Despite his sharp criticism, Verstappen insists he will get the best out of Red Bull’s 2026 challenger, which is powered by the team’s first in-house engine.
“At the end of the day, when you go into competition, you will always do the best you can with what you have, because it’s the same for everyone,” the Dutchman continued.
“But, sometimes things can be more enjoyable than others, and for me personally, it’s not so enjoyable.
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“But I do know, of course, that when I sit in the car, I will always give it my best, because also the people that have designed the car and the engine this year, it’s been honestly incredible to witness how these guys have started from zero and have given us a power unit that is running well. We don’t have any issues. Is it fast enough? I have no idea. We have to wait and see.
“Honestly, it’s just incredible to work with all these great people. For me to then say that it’s the least enjoyable, is not very nice. But, I also want to say that I know that when I sit in the car, of course, I will always give it my very best. But, yeah, it’s just not really enjoyable. I mean, it’s not pure Formula 1.”
Verstappen is not alone in his comments. Fellow F1 world champions Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris have expressed negative views about the new rules.
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