Max Verstappen Despises Formula 1's New 2026 Cars After Threatening To Retire If They Weren't Fun

Formula 1 preseason testing, currently underway in Bahrain, is the first opportunity for teams to rack up significant mileage with the new generation of F1 cars. It also means drivers can finally step out of their simulators and form concrete opinions on the 2026 regulations. Max Verstappen made it clear on Thursday that he isn't a fan of the new cars. While other stars revel in the challenges of the new ruleset, the four-time world champion wanted a machine that he could persistently push flat-out.

A pillar of this season's new technical regulations is a new power unit, which mandates a near 50-50 split between combustion and electric power. While the turbocharged V6 engine is largely carried over from the previous generation, the hybrid system has been simplified to rely solely on energy recovered during deceleration. Electric power's larger role means that drivers have to be cognizant of how much electricity they're harvesting and deploying, which Verstappen strongly dislikes. The Dutch driver told ESPN:

"Not a lot of fun, to be honest. I would say the right word is management. As a driver, the feeling is not very Formula 1-like. It feels a bit more like Formula E on steroids."

"But the rules are the same for everyone, so you have to deal with that. And that's also not my problem, because I'm all for that. Equal chances, I don't mind that. But as a pure driver, I enjoy driving flat out. And at the moment, you cannot drive like that. There's a lot going on."

While Verstappen and a legion of fans might yearn for the days of Michael Schumacher reeling off qualifying lap after qualifying lap during the processional races of the 2000s, it doesn't make for compelling racing. Formula 1 needs to create natural opportunities for passing, especially when the performance delta between cars can be razor-thin. If Verstappen doesn't like it, he should leave. Yes, really. The four-time world champion threatened to retire from F1 last November if he didn't like the new regulations. According to the Independent, he said:

"My contract runs until 2028, but it (his future) will depend on the new rules in 2026, and if they are nice and fun. If they are not fun, than I don't really see myself hanging around."

If Verstappen left F1, he probably wouldn't find it difficult to get a race seat somewhere else. The Red Bull driver has not only been vocal about driving in other championships, but he has acted on his word. Verstappen made his Nürburgring GT3 debut in September behind the wheel of an Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. He and Chris Lulham won the 4-hour race by 24 seconds. Verstappen's interest in participating in this year's Nürburgring 24 Hours even encouraged organizers to move the race date to avoid clashing with F1.