Max Verstappen has launched another pointed critique of the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, arguing that the fastest drivers on the grid are being actively penalised for their pace.
The Hungarian Grand Prix media day in Budapest was dominated by discussion of energy management and the self-learning aspects of the 2026 power unit, following Oscar Piastri’s strong comments at Spa-Francorchamps.
Piastri called it “crap” that drivers can be caught out by forward-thinking algorithms that adapt based on what they learn over time, affecting energy deployment in ways sometimes beyond a driver’s control.
Verstappen has been vocal on these regulations for some time and acknowledged in Belgium that certain people could “shoot” him if he kept complaining, though he clarified in Hungary: “No, I was joking about that one.”
The four-time world champion believes his early warnings about the 2026 rules were dismissed, but that opinion within the paddock is now shifting in his direction.
“I’ve spoken my mind about these regulations already a long time,” Verstappen said. “In the beginning most people were saying, ‘ah, he’s complaining, he should shut up’. But I have to say that the last few races, more and more people are seeing the same thing that I could see coming already a long time ago.”
Verstappen was clear that his concerns go beyond personal results, adding: “And it’s not about me not winning anymore, it’s just because I care about the product.”
He drew a distinction between casual fans who enjoy the spectacle and those who understand the technical picture, explaining that arriving at certain circuits and “driving on not a lot of horsepower for F1 standards” is “a little bit painful.”
The core of Verstappen’s frustration centres on how driver skill is being neutralised by energy recovery systems, with superior corner speed now capable of hurting a driver on the following straight.
“In every kind of racing series, if you gain time in the corner, that’s just free lap time. You would not then be penalised on the straight, normally,” he said, highlighting a fundamental contradiction within the current regulations.
Verstappen directly linked this dynamic to the unusually tight gaps between team-mates seen throughout the 2026 season, arguing the rules are suppressing individual talent across the field.
“It’s basically just neutralising a lot of lap time, and that’s why, I guess, in general, you see a lot of close battles between teams and also team-mates, because sometimes you cannot make a difference. You’re not allowed to make a difference because it will just penalise you on the next straight.”
Overtaking has also come under scrutiny from the Red Bull driver, who won F1’s Overtake of the Month award for his move on Lewis Hamilton in Austria, but remains unconvinced the current style of passing represents real racing.
When asked on the podium in Austria how he completed that move, Verstappen grinned: “I pressed my boost button and suddenly had a bit more horsepower than Lewis.”
F1 removed that portion from its own social media channels, but Verstappen argued it perfectly illustrates how overtaking actually works in 2026, describing situations where drivers pass rivals “by literally doing nothing” on the straight while opponents drain their battery.
“The problem is, of course, that real racing fans understand. The non-racing fans think it’s cool because you just see more overtakes, but it’s not real. It’s not what racing is about.”