The Red Bull champion reacted to Carlos Sainz’s comments about possible adjustments to the 2026 regulations and defended his critical stance on the impact the new rules could have on the way Formula 1 is raced.
The technical regulations that will define Formula 1 starting in 2026 continue to generate debate within the grid even before the championship officially begins. The introduction of new power units, a more dominant electrical system, and changes in energy management has led several drivers to express doubts about how these rules will affect the spectacle and the way the single-seaters are driven.
One of the drivers who has spoken most openly about the issue is Max Verstappen. The Red Bull world champion has insisted that some aspects of the regulations could alter the essence of racing if energy management begins to dominate the car’s performance too much.
In his words, certain elements of the 2026 concept feel “anti-racing”, a criticism that summarizes his concern about the impact of the new rules on on-track competitiveness.
Verstappen explained that the way drivers will have to manage energy could deeply modify the dynamics of a lap. According to his analysis, small changes in the way drivers brake or use the gears could significantly affect straight-line speed, which would force drivers to constantly drive thinking about the energy available. In his view, that situation reduces the sense of direct driving that has historically characterized the category.
The Dutch driver’s comments came after Carlos Sainz adopted a more moderate stance on the same topic. The Spanish driver acknowledged that the regulatory change is extremely large and that, for that reason, the FIA and Formula 1 should remain open to making adjustments once teams gather more on-track information. Sainz explained that “maybe we will need to adjust the regulations a bit”, especially regarding the amount of energy recovery and deployment during each lap.
The Williams driver believes it is still too early to make definitive judgments about the behavior of the new single-seaters. According to his analysis, no one could accurately predict how elements such as aerodynamic load, drag, and energy deployment would interact when the car is actually on track.
That is why he asked the category to maintain a flexible attitude during the first races of the championship.
Faced with that position, Verstappen has not softened his view of the regulations. Although he acknowledges that some aerodynamic aspects of the new car work correctly, he insists that the overall set of rules could move Formula 1 away from the driving experience that drivers consider more natural. For the Red Bull champion, the priority should be to preserve the ability to race wheel-to-wheel without energy strategy limiting driving too much.
The technical context explains part of the controversy. The 2026 regulations introduce significant changes to the power units, eliminating the MGU-H and increasing the power of the MGU-K electrical system, which increases the role of electric energy in the car’s performance.
With the start of the season getting closer, the discussion among drivers reflects a common reality with every major regulatory change. The first races of the championship will serve to determine whether Verstappen’s concerns are confirmed or whether, as Sainz suggests, the regulations can evolve once teams better understand the behavior of the new single-seaters.