Max Verstappen exit talk grows as Eddie Irvine insists F1 ‘doesn’t need’ him

Max Verstappen is contemplating walking away from Formula 1 after the F1 2026 season, but “F1 doesn’t need Max.”

That is the blunt opinion expressed by four-time grand prix winner Eddie Irvine. The ex-Ferrari driver did point to “50 million good reasons” for Verstappen to stay, though, in a nod to the Red Bull star’s lucrative contract. Irvine does share Verstappen’s frustrations over the F1 2026 regulations.

Eddie Irvine: F1 ‘doesn’t need’ Max Verstappen

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Verstappen’s concerns over the new Formula 1 regulations can be traced all the way back to Austria 2023. Now that this new era is here, it is failing to make a good impression on the four-time world champion.

Branding this F1 – with its all-important battery harvesting and deployment –  “anti-racing” and “Mario Kart”, Verstappen took his disillusionment with F1 2026 to a new level at Suzuka.

Having spoken of considering “life here” in the paddock, Verstappen went on to confirm that he may leave Formula 1 after the F1 2026 campaign.

Verstappen has consistently maintained that his frustrations are linked to a lack of enjoyment in F1 2026, and not Red Bull’s troubled start to the season.

Verstappen has scored just 12 points across the opening three rounds.

When La Gazzetta dello Sport brought up Verstappen’s frustrations to Irvine, a four-time race winner with Ferrari, the Irishman’s response was stern.

“F1 doesn’t need Max; there are plenty of talented drivers,” he suggested.

“It’s tough for him to find himself mid table, but if he thinks about his salary, there are over 50 million good reasons to stay.”

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Irvine does share Verstappen’s cold outlook on F1 2026 however.

“I don’t like them at all,” said Irvine of the new regulations. “They definitely need to make some changes; it’s not right that everything comes down to how much charge is left in the battery.

“I love electric cars – I’ve got four of them – but it makes no sense to try and make the top-flight series eco-friendly. And these single-seaters are dangerous.”

Verstappen is not the only driver struggling to embrace F1 2026. Carlos Sainz has consistently aired his concerns over safety, while reigning world champion Lando Norris is another example of a vocal critic.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, is “enjoying” the racing. The new rules have sparked prolific overtaking action at the front.

The safety of this formula was thrust further into the spotlight at Suzuka. Oliver Bearman limped away from a 50G crash, but thankfully escaped serious injury, having taken avoiding action as he rapidly approached Franco Colapinto’s Alpine.

“He was going much faster than Franco Colapinto and had to swerve to avoid him,” Irvine continued, addressing the Bearman incident.

“It reminded me of the incident that cost Hitoshi Ogawa his life in Japanese Formula 3000. Fortunately, this time the cars didn’t make contact.”

Verstappen suffered a further blow when it was confirmed on Thursday that Verstappen’s race engineer GianPiero Lambiase is to leave Red Bull for a new post with McLaren.

Lambiase has served as Verstappen’s race engineer since he joined the senior Red Bull team in 2016 and has become a key ally for the Dutchman.

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