Max Verstappen attacks: “I overtook cars 2 seconds slower, these aren’t fair battles. FIA needs to worry”. Max Verstappen criticizes the 2026 F1 rules .

Max Verstappen’s climb from 19th to 6th place in the Australian GP was impressive on paper, but the four-time world champion was far from satisfied. The Dutch Red Bull driver has repeatedly expressed frustration with the driving style forced by the power units under the new 2026 regulations. He criticized the cars during testing as “Formula E on steroids” and after qualifying, noting that they feel unnatural and less fun to drive, particularly on a single flying lap. Expectations were therefore high for Verstappen’s candid remarks after the race, where he closed in behind his friend-rival Lando Norris.

The comeback wasn’t enough for Super Max

Yes, the overtakes were obviously fun, Max Verstappen told Sky F1. But most of the cars were about two seconds slower than mine, so it was basically just clearing the track. It’s a bit strange to have to say it, but that’s how I saw it—these aren’t fair battles. I tried to be as clean as possible in my driving and to get into my rhythm, but once I got past the mid-field cars, my tires were too degraded. There was a lot of graining, which compromised the rest of the race. We thought the harder Pirellis would help us, but that didn’t work.

New criticism of the 2026 rules

Speaking later to international media, Verstappen expanded on his concerns about the current rules and the quality of racing in Formula 1: I think the FIA should worry about these rules. Let’s focus on that. People ask me questions, and I give my opinion on what I want to see and what I think is best for the sport, because I really care. I love racing and I want it to be better than this, so let’s see what we can do. Drivers or fans, we all just want the best for Formula 1—it’s not that we’re critical for the sake of it. We wanted real F1, not a steroid version, but today, once again, it wasn’t.

So am I thinking about retiring? No. As I said, I love racing, even if there is a limit to everything, right? I think the FIA and F1 are willing to listen, but I hope they also take action, Verstappen concluded, urging the sport’s authorities to act quickly on the current rule set.

Max Verstappen’s blunt assessment of his Melbourne recovery drive serves as a stark warning that points in the standings are not enough to mask the fundamental dissatisfaction of the grid’s top talent with the 2026 performance profile. While the fans may have enjoyed seeing the Red Bull move through the pack, Verstappen’s “Formula E on steroids” comparison highlights a growing rift between the technical goals of the FIA and the visceral expectations of the world’s best drivers—a tension that is likely to dominate the narrative as the paddock heads to China.