F1 | 2026 revolution: Verstappen furious, but Vanzini shuts him down spectacularly
Max Verstappen’s words have made headlines and stirred significant debate. “Only someone ignorant about motorsport can enjoy this way of racing,” the Dutch champion declared, launching a direct attack on the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations. His harsh outburst immediately ignited discussions across the paddock about the upcoming season’s technical rules.
However, in his latest YouTube video, Italian commentator Carlo Vanzini did not hold back and completely turned the perspective around, going straight to the point: “The question is: why don’t you leave? Why don’t you make a dramatic move and walk away?”
It was a clear provocation, but Carlo Vanzini immediately highlighted the practical reality: “There’s also an 80 million contract… you won’t get that anywhere else,” emphasizing that the connection to Formula 1 is not only a sporting one but also financial.
According to the commentator, the problem is deeper. Max Verstappen’s criticisms – echoed by several other drivers – are coming far too late: “Where were they in the past two years when this regulation was being discussed?” He continued: “They were disgusted in the simulator, they told us… but why didn’t they ever speak up?”
The central point is clear: the 2026 regulations are not a surprise. “It was all known. I was already saying: at Monza they will reach the end of the straight without even braking,” Vanzini stated, criticizing the widespread silence that accompanied the development of the new rules.
Vanzini also targeted the political dynamics within Formula 1. According to him, the FIA gave too much freedom to the engineers, completely overlooking the drivers: “The engineers saw this regulation as their opportunity… the driver was forgotten.”
It’s not just that. Some manufacturers reportedly pushed strongly to maintain these rules, including Audi and Mercedes, making any substantial changes nearly impossible: “Audi dug in, Mercedes dug in… at this point, it’s moving forward like this.”
For this reason, Carlo Vanzini believes that the current complaints are largely unhelpful: “Yelling ‘wolf, wolf’ now doesn’t help. You need to be constructive.” His judgment of Verstappen is direct: “It’s not constructive for the team nor for himself; he’s the classic cowboy shooting from the hip.”
Looking to the future, Carlo Vanzini still calls for calm. Car development could shift the balance of performance significantly: “We have to give it time; the development will be enormous.”
But for the Italian commentator, one issue remains crucial: safety. “Someone who stalls on the straight can be a serious problem,” he warned, implying that any changes to the regulations might only occur for safety reasons.
The overall message is clear: the new Formula 1 regulations are divisive, but there is no turning back. And those protesting now… perhaps should have done so much earlier.
The “cowboy” approach may win fans on social media, but it does little to steer the ship of a multi-billion-dollar industry. As the paddock prepares for the next rounds of this experimental season, the focus will remain on whether these sophisticated power units can eventually provide the spectacle promised by the engineers. If not, the safety concerns raised by Vanzini might be the only lever left to pull for a mid-season rule tweak.
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