The opening races of the 2026 Formula 1 season — Australia and especially the chaotic Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai — have delivered multiple overtakes, wheel-to-wheel battles, strategies built around energy management, and constant position changes. No longer the usual train of cars running at fixed gaps, but a truly dynamic spectacle that has energized the grandstands and increased television audiences compared to the previous year.
Faced with this scenario, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has not hidden his dissatisfaction. After the Shanghai weekend, where he retired due to an ERS issue, the four-time world champion spoke bluntly: “It’s terrible. If someone likes this stuff, then they don’t understand racing. It’s not fun. It feels like Mario Kart. You get a boost, then you run out of battery and they pass you again. For me, it’s just a joke. It’s not racing.”
Strong words that dismiss as a “game” what many see as a long-awaited return to unpredictability in Formula 1.
The right of the audience
The audience that buys tickets, subscribes to platforms such as Sky, F1 TV or Apple TV, purchases merchandise, and fills the grandstands has every right to form an opinion. It is not necessary to be a driver or an engineer to understand whether a spectacle is exciting. When the stands come alive, overtakes increase, and viewing figures grow precisely because of more on-track action, the verdict of paying spectators cannot be dismissed as ignorance or superficiality.
The changes introduced by Liberty Media and the FIA were designed precisely to counter years of monotonous dominance that had driven part of the audience away. Now that early responses appear positive, criticizing those who are enjoying the show means ignoring the economic and emotional foundation of the sport.
Talent does not grant the right to dictate taste
Verstappen appears primarily frustrated because the new regulations have made it more difficult to replicate the overwhelming dominance that Red Bull and he himself had enjoyed in previous years. More agile cars, greater reliance on battery management, and “electric” overtaking have leveled the playing field, rewarding adaptability and strategy rather than pure aerodynamic superiority.
Instead of acknowledging that Formula 1, like any professional sport, must evolve to remain attractive and sustainable, the Dutch driver has chosen to openly criticize those who appreciate the current product. An attitude that risks sounding like, “if it’s not the way I like it, then it’s garbage.”
Formula 1 is not a private club
Formula 1 is no longer an elitist circle reserved for drivers, teams, and insiders. It is a global multi-billion-euro industry, driven precisely by paying spectators who follow the races live, on television, or via streaming platforms. The 2026 regulations aim to make the spectacle more accessible and engaging, attracting a younger and less technical audience without betraying the essence of motorsport.
When that audience responds with enthusiasm — as seems to be happening in the early races of 2026 — dismissing it with arrogance is equivalent to disregarding the very reason professional sport exists: to entertain those who support it both financially and emotionally.
Max Verstappen’s talent behind the wheel remains unquestionable, and his opinion carries significant weight. However, it does not grant him the authority to dictate to millions of fans what they should or should not enjoy. The paying audience is right. In this case, Verstappen is wrong.
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