Source:REUTERS/WILLIAM WEST
[Saba Sports News] Max Verstappen recently publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the technical regulations for the 2026 season, condemning today’s F1 as not pure enough. He pointed out that not only drivers but also many fans have questions about the current rules, hoping the FIA will seriously listen to feedback and seek better solutions in the future.
At the season opener, the Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen started from 20th position and finished in 6th place. However, he encountered a major issue right at the start of the race. After the race, he explained that his poor start was entirely due to the power unit not receiving battery support. At that moment, there was no power at all; he didn’t understand why the battery was drained during the warm-up lap. When he pressed the accelerator at the start, there was no energy output, which left him with basically no power.
During the race, Verstappen began on hard tires and executed a two-stop strategy. He continuously overtook cars in the midfield, gradually closing in on the group ahead and finding his rhythm in the second half. However, the performance of the hard tires was not ideal, leading to visible graining and deterioration, which made the pursuit more costly. In the end, he could only finish behind Lando Norris.
The editor believes that the new power unit significantly increases the proportion of electric energy, requiring drivers to frequently manage energy during the race—a focal point of Verstappen’s ongoing criticism. However, in the editor’s view, Verstappen’s comments seem more like complaints. If he truly loves the sport, he should adapt to the evolving regulations in F1.