Max Verstappen has pushed back against critics who say the new 2026 Formula 1 cars are “anti-racing” or not fun to watch. The Red Bull driver argues that the new generation of cars, developed under major rule changes, still produces exciting racing and that it’s too early to judge them based only on first impressions from testing.
Verstappen says the new cars have different characteristics compared to previous seasons, but he believes they will make for good racing once teams and drivers fully understand them. He also points out that fans should give the sport more time before declaring the new era boring or flawed, since the season hasn’t even started yet.
Overall, Verstappen’s view is that the 2026 cars aren’t ruining Formula 1 — they’re just different and still evolving, and he expects the racing to improve as the year goes on.