Red Bull's Max Verstappen has expressed frustration over Formula 1 engine regulations for the 2026 season. Is he really retiring?
His finish at Suzuka was the third installment in a troubling pattern so far in 2026, as Verstappen, 28, retired in sixth at the Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix and finished 16th at the Heineken Chinese Grand Prix earlier this month (viafor the 2026 season, including a 50-50 power split, a new"Boost Button," active aerodynamics, and lighter cars.
After the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen called F1's new formula"."I don't know, if someone likes this, then you really don't know what racing is about. It's not fun at all. It's playing Mario Kart. This is not racing."asked Verstappen if he would retire from F1 at the end of this season, to which Verstappen replied,"That's what I'm saying. I'm thinking about everything inside this paddock. Privately, I'm very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time, it's 22. But normally, 24. And then you just think about,Or, do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you're not enjoying your sport?" Verstappen admitted, again, that he is"not enjoying the whole formula" under the new 2026 engine rules and asserted that his uncertainty about his F1 future is not tied to Red Bull's Verstappen also shared with BBC Sport's Andrew Benson and Jennie Gow, among many other things, that he can"easily accept to be in P7 or P8 where I am" because the season is long, but he can't accept losing his passion for competing. "Of course, I do enjoy certain aspects. I enjoy working with my team. It's like a second family. But once I sit in the car, it's not the most enjoyable, unfortunately. I'm trying. I keep telling myself every day to try and enjoy it. It's just very hard." He added,"It's a bit sad to be honest that we're even talking about this. It is what it is. You don't need to feel sorry for me. I'll be fine." As much as the 2026 regulations changed things in F1, Verstappen choosing to walk away would be a seismic shift for the sport. Verstappen has won 71 Grand Prix races and made 127 podiumsF1 will next overtake Miami for the 2026 F1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix from May 1 to May 3. See the full F1 2026 calendar
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