Verstappen blasts F1's 2026 rules as 'a joke'

Max Verstappen launched a blistering public attack on Formula 1’s 2026 regulation overhaul after the Chinese Grand Prix, calling the package “a joke” and “fundamentally flawed” and likening the on-track product to “playing Mario Kart” and “Formula E on steroids.” The four-time world champion retired late in the Shanghai race because of an ERS cooling issue.

He said the mandated roughly 50/50 combustion/electric power split, increased battery harvesting and new boost-and-battery management — including an overtake button and other driver aids — had produced “artificial racing,” where cars briefly surge past rivals, run out of battery and are passed back.

Verstappen reiterated warnings first raised after simulator runs in 2023 and urged F1 and the FIA to change the rules quickly, while warning that teams benefiting from the current package would resist reforms. He also said fans who enjoy the new product “don’t understand racing,” at times framing those fans as not “real” supporters.