Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has once again criticized the new rules applied in the 2026 Formula 1 season and used humor to mock the preparation required by the new cars. Since the pre-season, the Dutchman has harshly criticized the new rules, which he has already classified as “anti-racing” and even as “Formula E on steroids.”
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After the Australian GP, which opened the championship, the driver was asked by journalists if drivers who train more in simulators could have an advantage in the energy management of the new generation cars and replied with sarcasm: “I found a cheaper solution. I swapped the simulator for my Nintendo Switch and, yeah, I’m practicing a bit of Mario Kart, actually. Yeah, finding the mushrooms is going very well. The blue shell is a bit harder, but I’m working on it. The rocket? I haven’t gotten there yet.”
In Melbourne, Verstappen also showed discouragement with the season and stated that “the year is going to be long,” even mentioning the possibility of exploring other motorsport categories, such as endurance racing, including the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
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“It’s more a question of how you work with people. It’s a slightly different environment in the paddock too. I’d say it’s more ‘old school’, there’s less politics, which probably suits me better. Yeah, there I can be more myself, probably. That’s what I like, and besides that, of course, races like the big endurance ones that I want to do, it’s something my father also did when I was a child.
“I don’t think I need to be just a Formula 1 driver, I can do other things too, especially because I’ve been in this for a while and I’ve already achieved everything I wanted to achieve. That’s why I want to explore other things too, and I don’t want to do it when I’m 40. Now, I think it’s the perfect age,” concluded the Red Bull driver.
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