“Never seen him struggle like this”: Italian journalist on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull crisis. Max Verstappen endured a difficult Chinese Grand Prix in 2026.

The 2026 Chinese Grand Prix revealed an unrecognisable Max Verstappen: struggles during the race, difficulties overtaking midfield drivers, and ultimately a retirement. Matteo Novembrini, speaking on Pit Talk, summed it up with a striking sentence: “I think I’ve never seen him in so much difficulty at Red Bull.” But beyond the technical struggles, a deeper question emerges regarding the role of talent in this new era of Formula 1.

There is one image that more than any other defines China 2026: Max Verstappen struggling, frustrated, and unable to impose himself.

This is not just a technical issue. It goes much deeper.

It is a sign that this new regulatory cycle may have hit Formula 1 at its most sensitive point: pure talent.

During Pit Talk, Matteo Novembrini was direct, almost disarming:

“For Verstappen to be in so much difficulty at Red Bull, I think I’ve never seen it.”

A statement that carries weight and opens the door to a much broader reflection.

The regulations that change the nature of the driver

The 2026 regulations introduce a concept that completely changes the approach to driving: lifting off the throttle earlier before the braking point — the so-called lift and coast — to recharge energy, together with other techniques such as super clipping, which allows energy recovery even during full acceleration phases. This is not a minor detail. It is a revolution, because Max Verstappen built his dominance precisely on carrying maximum speed through corners, a phase where energy management now becomes the primary constraint rather than racing line.

So the question becomes inevitable: what happens when you take away the strongest driver’s greatest weapon?

A lost Red Bull, but not only that

It would be too easy to reduce everything to Red Bull’s technical struggles. The problems are there, and they are evident. Novembrini underlined it without hesitation:

“This car is clearly lacking, both in terms of chassis and aerodynamics.”

But the key point lies elsewhere. Even when Verstappen tries to push, he can no longer make the difference as he once did. And that is not normal.

The strongest signal: Verstappen is no longer Verstappen

Shanghai showed something unprecedented: a Max Verstappen losing positions to midfield drivers, making mistakes when pushing, lacking sharpness, and appearing disconnected from a car that no longer feels like his own. One particular remark perfectly captures the situation:

“Honestly, I don’t remember Max Verstappen being unable to overtake a midfield driver.”

This is not just a dip in form. It is a transformation.

A Formula 1 that flattens the great talents

This is where the core of the issue lies. If a set of regulations leads the most dominant driver of recent years to look like one among many, then the issue is no longer technical — it is philosophical. Formula 1 has always been a place where talent made the difference, where drivers chased the limit rather than avoided it, where corners were the territory of absolute mastery. Today, instead, the key word is management: of energy, of compromises, of a driving style that seems as unnatural to Verstappen as his instinctive approach once was natural. And Verstappen appears to be suffering from it more than anyone else.

Technical crisis or motivational crisis?

The two aspects are intertwined. On one hand, there is a structurally delayed Red Bull. On the other, a driver who seems increasingly uncomfortable. And the growing suspicion is this: perhaps this version of Formula 1 no longer represents him. When his greatest strength is limited by regulation, Verstappen loses something that goes beyond performance — he loses the very context in which he became great.

The risk for Formula 1

The real question is not whether Verstappen will return to being competitive. It is another: does this Formula 1 still want to highlight extraordinary talent? Because if the price of competitive balance is taking away from the very best drivers the chance to truly make the difference, then the risk is enormous. China 2026 may be remembered as the first real signal of a new era — an era where talent alone is no longer enough.

The struggles seen in Shanghai suggest that the 2026 engine and aero package may have leveled the playing field at the cost of the “wow factor” that drivers like Verstappen provide. Whether Red Bull can find a technical solution to restore their champion’s confidence remains the biggest talking point as the paddock prepares for the next round.