Max Verstappen’s criticism of Formula 1’s new regulations smacks of frustration, with Guenther Steiner accusing the Red Bull driver of ‘throwing his toys out of the pram’ amid the team’s struggles.

This season, Formula 1 is operating with all-new regulations as the sport has changed not only the chassis but also the power unit rules.

Max Verstappen F1 rules criticism slammed by Guenther Steiner

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Adopting a 50/50 split in combustion and electrical power, the drivers have to manage the life of their batteries, forcing them to downshift towards the end of the straights to harvest battery power. Super clipping, when the car has exhausted its battery energy and relies solely on combustion power, has become the buzz term of the F1 2026 season.

The new engine formula has also had a huge impact on starts after F1 removed the MGU-H, leaving the drivers struggling to find the ideal start configuration with their power units. Verstappen has been caught out three times in as many starts, the driver reporting a lack of battery power off the line.

Although Verstappen brought home a P6 in Australia, fighting back after being bogged down on the line, he wasn’t able to score in either the Sprint or grand prix in China.

In both events, he fell towards the back of the field at the start, and could only recover to P9 in the Sprint, one place shy of the points, before having to retire from the grand prix with a coolant issue.

“If someone likes this, then you really don’t know what racing is,” Verstappen said of the new rules in China. “It’s not fun at all. It’s like Mario Kart. This is not racing.”

He added: “Look at the racing, boost to pass, and then you run out of battery the next straight, they boost past you again. For me, it’s just a joke.”

Guenther Steiner, however, reckons Verstappen’s toys are coming out of the pram only because Red Bull isn’t winning.

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Speaking to talkSPORT, the former Haas team principal said Verstappen’s frustrations have nothing to do with the regulations and everything to do with Red Bull’s form.

“It’s not the fault of the regulations,” he said, “that’s the fault of the team if the car cannot start.

“It’s like the two McLarens not starting, that has not happened for a long time that two cars cannot even start a race. You cannot blame the regulations because most of the other cars started the race, except for [Gabriel] Bortoleto and [Alex] Albon.

“Max is not happy because the car is not where he likes it to be. Red Bull have a brand new engine and it’s advanced technology, it takes some time for the engineers to get used to.

“I think I’m actually surprised how the new engine manufacturers like Ford and Audi have done, so it will improve after a little bit of time.

“Max always throws the toys out of the pram when it doesn’t go his way.”

And as Verstappen is frustrated, his former F1 title rival Lewis Hamilton is loving life in the new cars after he finally clinched his first podium in Ferrari colours in Shanghai.

Hamilton enthused about the new rules to Sky; “I had so much fun, we had a great start…it was one of the most enjoyable races I’ve had in a long time, if ever.

“The fact that the cars are the way they are this year and that battle with Charles at the end was awesome. A great wheel-to-wheel battle and very fair and just what we want.”

“Guess why,” Steiner said of Hamilton’s comments, “because he is having success, the opposite of Max, when you are doing good that’s what it’s like.

“It has been over a year since he has been on the podium in a main race so obviously he’s enjoying it.

“Why would he be negative in something he has been successful in? It’s going to take some getting used to [with the new regulations] but it’s very good to see Lewis back.”

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