Max Verstappen is the kind of man who prefers sticking to Formula 1 racing in a traditional sense rather than blindly running after every new idea that pops up. His reservations against things like the addition of Sprint Races, the focus on more glamor than racing during the Las Vegas GP, and the new 2026 Power Unit regulations are all proof of his mentality. He has recently said that it is politics more than anything that drives these decisions in the sport as he criticizes the new PU regulations.

Formula 1 is on a quest to achieve carbon-neutral status by 2030, and as part of this transition, the sport has outlined new Power Unit regulations that will take effect in 2026. The main goal of these new regulations is to switch to a completely sustainable fuel and increase the electrical output of the Power Unit significantly. However, Red Bull has raised some serious concerns about the ratio of power delivered by the electrical unit and the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine).

Max Verstappen is unhappy with how Formula 1 works

The next-gen Formula 1 car that will hit the track in 2026 will operate without burning new fossil carbon. Instead, it will source carbon from non-food origins, municipal waste, or even directly from the atmosphere. The current 1.6-liter V6 turbocharged engines will incorporate a significantly more powerful electrical component known as the MGU-K that will produce 3 times the electrical power compared to the current-gen cars. It will do so by harnessing more braking energy that would otherwise go to waste, boosting the electrical output to 350kW from 120kW.

However, Red Bull has some legitimate concerns when it comes to the Power Unit output ratio. Christian Horner, the team principal, said that Formula 1 must avoid the creation of what he called “engineered Frankenstein cars,” where the chassis has to work extra hard to compensate for deficiencies in the power-train. He said that the drivers would need to downshift on the longer straightaways to charge their batteries according to their simulation data and the overtaking opportunities will take a big hit. He argued that even a slight increase in power on the combustion side of the Power Unit would fix this problem.

In a recent interview with motorsport-magzin.com, Max Verstappen also voiced his frustration toward Formula 1 when asked about the new power unit ratio. He said, “No one will agree. This sport is so political. When we push for something, others think that maybe we’ve found something that could be an advantage. So they say no. That’s how Formula 1 works. If you find something, it’s always the case that it’s not supported. It’s always been that way, it’s part of this sport. Sometimes you have to live with it because there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.“

Verstappen agrees with the new Sprint Race weekend structure

While Verstappen has been against Sprint Races since they were introduced in 2021, he agrees that the new rules make more sense. The new weekend structure involves moving the sprint shootout, which determines the starting grid for the sprint race, to Friday afternoon after the first free practice session. The sprint race itself will start the proceedings on Saturday, followed by the traditional qualifying session later that day.

“I think it’s a bit more logical, I would say with how the format is formed. For me, I don’t get more excited by winning a sprint or fighting for these kinds of races. But at least a bit more logical I would say,“ Verstappen commented during the RB20 launch event.

Max Verstappen has said previously that he’s not planning to stay in Formula 1 for too long. Can the 2026 regulations nudge him toward hanging up his helmet for good?