The threat made by Max Verstappen about leaving Formula 1 may not provoke any reaction from the FIA. This is the assessment of David Coulthard, who believes that the four-time champion’s criticisms of the 2026 rules are unlikely to result in changes.
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The Dutchman has shown growing dissatisfaction with the new generation of cars, even publicly questioning whether staying in Formula 1 is ‘worth it’. Despite the blunt tone, Coulthard does not see motorsport’s governing body changing its direction because of the Red Bull Racing driver’s statements.
Verstappen’s criticisms of the 2026 regulations have been accumulating since the pre-season, with the driver classifying the new cars as ‘Formula E on steroids’, and later, he also compared the expected behavior of the new cars to the ‘Mario Kart’ video game, reinforcing his discomfort with the changes made.
The complicated start to the season for Red Bull may also be contributing to this discontent. The RB22 has shown performance below expectations, and Verstappen currently occupies ninth position in the drivers’ championship, while Red Bull Racing appears only in sixth place in the constructors’ championship.
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Even with this scenario, Coulthard believes that the four-time champion’s statements should not influence FIA decisions. Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, the former driver of the category highlighted Verstappen’s talent and personality, but downplayed any political impact of the criticisms: “I don’t think they’re going to react. I think Max is a generation-defining driver. Hamilton was that person before. You have to admire his absolute speed and his total commitment,” he said.
The former driver also praised the Dutchman’s direct stance, highlighting his sincerity: “You also have to admire that ‘what you see is what you get’ passion. It would be very easy for him to give short answers and not feed this conversation, but he is passionate and he cares about it,” he added.
Coulthard continued, stating that Verstappen prefers to express his opinion instead of adopting a more discreet stance: “He’s not prepared to say nothing, just follow along and collect results, something that some other drivers might be doing at this stage of their careers,” he completed.
