Verstappen Criticism Of New F1 Rules Tied To On-Track Struggles, Says Wolff

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Toto Wolff links Max Verstappen’s strong criticism of Formula One’s latest rules to Red Bull’s poor early form, arguing the new F1 cars are not the main problem. Wolff accepts some drawbacks in qualifying, yet insists the 2026 regulations are delivering entertaining races, especially between Mercedes and Ferrari at the front.

Verstappen has attacked the 2026 generation of cars, describing the rules as a joke and likening the driving feel to Mario Kart. The Dutch driver has collected only eight points from the opening two grands prix and retired from the Chinese Grand Prix with a power unit cooling failure.

Wolff believes Verstappen’s frustration with the F1 new regulations is closely tied to Red Bull’s handling issues in the early rounds. Max is in a horror show. When you look at the onboard that he has in qualifying, it's just horrendous to drive, Wolff said. You can see that. But it's not the same with many other teams.

The new F1 rules place more weight on electrical deployment and careful energy use, especially during races. Verstappen’s main concern is that the focus has shifted from pushing the car to the grip limit towards battery management and strategic boost use, which can leave drivers unable to defend once energy reserves drop.

While Verstappen struggles and sits eighth in the standings, both Mercedes and Ferrari have started strongly under the F1 new regulations. Mercedes have scored 98 points across the first two events, helped by a one-two finish in China, with Kimi Antonelli winning at 19 years, six months and 18 days ahead of George Russell.

Ferrari have also adapted well to the F1 new regulations, running Mercedes close in the points race. Lewis Hamilton, who left Mercedes in a high-profile move, reached the podium for the first time with Ferrari at Shanghai International Circuit, highlighting how different teams are thriving with similar equipment.

From an entertainment perspective, I believe that what we've seen between Ferrari and Mercedes was good racing. Many overtakes. We were all part of Formula 1 where there was no overtake, literally. Sometimes we're too nostalgic about the good old years. But I think the product is good in itself.

Race craft, fan response and F1 new regulations

Wolff highlighted action beyond the lead fight to defend the F1 new regulations. We saw quite some racing in the midfield also. Now, from a driver's standpoint, when it comes to the qualifying lap, that is different. Clearly, lifting and coasting in qualifying, I'm sure for someone like Max, who is a full-attack guy, it's difficult to cope and digest.

But it's more a car-specific issue that magnifies the problem that it is, because if you sit in front of a TV or a screen, even Max would say, that was interesting racing in the front. New "boost" and "overtake" modes allow drivers to attack more, yet drain the battery faster, which can leave cars exposed later in stints.

Key figures under the F1 new regulations so far can be summarised as follows.

Wolff accepts not every element of the F1 new regulations works perfectly, especially during single-lap runs. Yeah, qualifying flat-out would be nice, Wolff added. But when you look at the fans and the excitement that is there, live, the cheering when there are overtakes, and also on social media, the younger fans, the vast majority, through all the demographics, like the sport at the moment.

So, yes, we can always look at how we're improving it, but at the moment, all the indicators say and all the data say people love it. And I spoke with Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO], he says that too. So it is driving the car that, for some, is not most pleasant. Wolff’s view is that, despite Verstappen’s concerns, the 2026 format and F1 new regulations are delivering racing that supporters currently enjoy.