Max Verstappen warns F1 2027 changes are ‘minimum necessary’

Max Verstappen stressed that the proposed power unit changes for F1 2027 are the “minimum necessary” for the good of the sport, to his mind.

Verstappen said he received a reminder of “pure” motorsport when he competed in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, compared to the “confusing” experience of driving in F1 2026. Verstappen believes that these rules are “way too complex” and make it hard for the fans to truly follow what is going on.

Max Verstappen says F1 2027 changes ‘minimum’ required

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An agreement had been reached to tweak the power distribution of the sport’s new engines for F1 2027. Rather than the roughly 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power, that would become 60/40, in favour of internal combustion, from F1 2027.

However, there are hurdles to overcome before this proposal can become a reality for next season.

Verstappen welcomed the proposed shift, and having questioned his F1 future earlier in the season, warned that F1 2027 would be “mentally not doable” for him without the alteration.

After securing his first podium in this F1 era with P3 in Canada, Verstappen issued a new warning.

What has been proposed for F1 2027 is the very least which needs to happen, Verstappen believes.

Asked whether these power units are becoming second nature now after five rounds of the season, Verstappen replied: “I mean, for me, even this season, of course, I’ve been racing also different kinds of cars and especially last week, that reminds me how pure motorsport can be and how great the racing can be.

“So, yeah, when I come back into Formula 1, the thing is of course here, especially most of the drivers, we’re the best in the world. So even if you would give us a rental car, we’ll give you a good show and we’ll race each other very hard and well. So it has nothing to do in that sense with the rules. But for me, while driving, yeah, it’s all a bit confusing.

“It’s not what Formula 1 should be about. It’s way too complex, all of this.

“Most of the rules, the fans don’t even know what we are dealing with while driving, what is allowed when you’re behind or when you’re the car ahead, what we have to do on a formation lap or what we have to do in an out-lap, or how much battery that we’re allowed to charge.

“All these things are just such a shame that we have to deal with all these things.

“For me, F1 just needs to be more pure and I really hope that what they try to do next year will go through, because I think that is necessary, the minimum necessary, to make it a bit more natural and a bit more back to normal, or at least a bit more pure racing.

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“But like I said, as drivers, give us any kind of car, we’ll always race and give a good entertainment or a good show, doesn’t matter. People say, ‘Oh, but look now, the show is great, the cars were fighting,’ but it has nothing to do with the car. It just needs to be more pure.”

Verstappen sits P7 in the early Drivers’ Championship standings with 43 points scored.

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