'Formula E on Steroids,' Max Verstappen Blasts F1 Car Rule Changes Ahead of 2026 Season

Four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen expressed his displeasure Thursday with the new cars that will be used during the 2026 F1 season.

According to ESPN's Laurence Edmondson, Verstappen discussed the lack of enjoyment he felt testing the new car, called it "anti-racing," and explained why.

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

Formula E refers to the top open-wheel racing series for electric cars, which debuted in 2014.

Per Edmondson, the new F1 engines are meant to produce "a near 50/50 split between combustion power and battery power."

That means drivers will be tasked with conserving electrical energy in the form of recharging their batteries at strategic points during races.

Verstappen acknowledged that while the new cars and engines are not his preference, he understands that every driver will be on an even playing field.

"But the rules are the same for everyone, so you have to deal with that," Verstappen said. "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."

Although he praised the look of the car, Verstappen referred to other aspects as "anti-racing," and expressed his belief that the changes to the cars and engines were political in nature.

"I mean, I like the livery, the livery is great," Verstappen said. The car looks great—honestly, the proportion of the car looks good, I think. That's not the problem. It's just everything else that is a bit, for me, anti-racing.

"Probably people will not be happy with me saying this right now. But I am outspoken, and why am I not allowed to say what I think of my race car? I can't help that. I mean, I didn't write the regulation. If it was, I think, up to non-political aspects of making a regulation, I think the car, probably the engine, whatever, would have looked very different. But yeah, that's how it is."

Regardless of the changes and the challenges that come along with them, Verstappen vowed to give it his all, saying, "Driving-wise, it's not so fun. But at the same time, I also know what is at stake with the team, with our own engine. And seeing the excitement of the people. Of course, when I sit in the car, I will always give it my very best. They know that. But the excitement level is not so high."

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton made his feelings known Wednesday during test in Bahrain, per ESPN's Nate Saunders, suggesting that fans could be in for a tough adjustment as well.

"None of the fans are going to understand it, I don't think," Hamilton said. "It's so complex. It's ridiculously complex. I sat in a meeting the other day and they're taking us through it. It's like you need a degree to fully understand it all."

Verstappen, 28, won four consecutive F1 points titles from 2021 to 2024, joining Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio as the only drivers to win at least four in a row.

During his championship streak, Verstappen won 53 races, and while he won another eight races last season, his title run came to an end at the hands of Lando Norris.

Despite winning the final three races of the season, Verstappen finished two points behind Norris in the standings, denying him a fifth straight title, which would have matched Schumacher's all-time record.

Verstappen is back in the fold with Red Bull Racing in 2026, and while his comments suggest he has some reservations about the new setup, he figures to be among the top title contenders once again.