Max Verstappen warns Formula 1 over 2026 rules: ‘It will ruin the sport’

Max Verstappen has warned Formula 1 that its 2026 regulations could ‘come back and bite them’ if fan engagement drives decisions over genuine racing quality.

Verstappen warned the sport that it will “come back and bite them in the ass” if they rely on the engagement of a non-traditional motorsport audience, those fans that, according to Verstappen, “don’t understand racing”. He wishes that his opening concerns, raised back in Austria 2023, had been listened to.

Max Verstappen cautions F1 over 2026 regulations

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Verstappen has emerged as the fiercest critic of Formula 1’s new, revamped for 2026 regulations. He took that opposition up another level in China.

Having called the new rules “a joke” in regards to how battery power is influencing performance and overtaking, Verstappen said that the racing is “not fun at all”. He also bluntly stated that if anyone is liking these new regulations, then they “really don’t know what racing is“.

Verstappen was asked whether he gets the sense that Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali is alarmed also, or, the sport is not seeing things in the same way.

“Well, you have to be a bit careful as you say these things,” Verstappen replied.

“We are talking about it. I think they understand where we are coming from as the drivers.

“I think I speak for most of the drivers. Some of course will say it’s great because they are winning races, which is fair enough. When you have an advantage, why would you give that up, right, because you never know if you’re going to have a good car again.

“But if you just speak to most of the drivers, it’s not what we like. I don’t think it’s what the real F1 fans like. Maybe some fans like it, but they don’t understand racing.

“Hopefully we can get rid of this as soon as possible.”

Formula 1’s fanbase has evolved drastically over recent years. It is an audience which has become younger on average, and features a lot more female fans than before.

The sport experienced a rapid rise in popularity thanks to the success of Netflix’s hit F1 docuseries Drive to Survive.

Verstappen was presented with a theory. Could it be that Formula One Management sees a growing section of its audience that doesn’t understand motor racing in the traditional sense, and thinks, as long as they are still watching, it is okay.

“I hope they don’t think like that, because it will eventually ruin the sport,” Verstappen said of these regulations. “It will come and bite them back in the ass.

“But for me, as long as we can just communicate with them and make sure that we are working on some solutions, that will help a lot.

“But it’s also going to be very difficult with everyone to agree. Not everyone needs to agree, but most of the people have to agree to make changes.

“But like I said, it’s political, right. Some people feel they have the advantage now, and they want to, of course, use that. Rightly so. I get that.

“But at the same time, if you look at it for the sport, it’s just not good.”

More on Max Verstappen from PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s 2026 struggles explained: Why Max Verstappen’s RB22 is losing nearly two seconds

Red Bull reveals cause of Verstappen’s Chinese GP DNF

In his initial criticism of the new F1 2026 rules, Verstappen stressed that he was not saying such things just because Red Bull is behind the leading pace.

Verstappen’s scepticism of this ruleset can be traced back to 2023, where following his Austrian GP win, he said that the 2026 cars looked “pretty terrible” from what he had seen in the simulator at that point.

“’26 is not that far away. And at the moment, to me, it looks very bad from all the numbers and what I see from the data already,” Verstappen had added. “So, it’s not something I’m very excited about at the moment.”

Skip back to present day, and Formula 1 is now experiencing this new era.

“They should have listened already in ’23 to already see this coming,” Verstappen stated. “Unfortunately, a little bit, maybe it’s a lesson for the future, that this would never happen again. That would be great.”

Verstappen has scored just eight points across the opening two rounds of F1 2026. He retired from the Chinese Grand Prix due to a coolant fault.

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next – Chinese GP conclusions: Verstappen sabbatical fear, mixed Hamilton feelings, McLaren Powertrains