'Creating chaos but nothing to do with racing'

Jos Verstappen has called out the new Formula 1 regulations, which have been introduced into the championship in 2026.

Verstappen Sr, father of four-time champion Max Verstappen, claimed that while the racing has been more chaotic, “it has nothing to do with racing”.

The new regulations feature an almost 50:50 split between internal combustion and electric power, active aerodynamics, Overtake Mode, and smaller and lighter chassis, among countless other changes.

The changes have been met with mixed reactions so far, with some, including Verstappen, claiming that it has become more about energy management for the drivers rather than pushing to the limit.

“I was there at the end of January during the private test days in Barcelona,” Verstappen Sr told De Telegraaf.

“On the one hand, you have huge respect for Red Bull and what they’ve achieved with their own engine. But then Max goes out on track, and you quickly notice that he doesn’t enjoy driving these cars at all. And I completely understand his frustration.”

He added: “As a driver, you should be rewarded for your courage and your abilities. But now, if you push as hard as possible through a corner, you actually end up slower over a lap.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Artur Widak / NurPhoto via Getty Images

“That takes away the whole racing feeling. They’re just managing the battery all the time. That also makes it harder for a driver like Max to make the difference.”

Others are enjoying the new regulations and the increased number of overtakes in the races so far, but Verstappen Sr dismissed these arguments.

“But that’s not the essence of racing,” he added. “The point is that as a driver, you can barely showcase your talent anymore.

“Closing up to someone in the slipstream and then trying to outbrake them — that’s what racing is about, in my opinion. Now you see a lot of overtakes happening halfway down the straight because the other driver has no energy left.

“Sorry, but that has nothing to do with overtaking. What Formula 1 is doing with this is creating chaos. And that chaos attracts a certain audience. But it has nothing to do with racing.”

Photos from Japanese GP – Saturday