Verstappen’s criticism follows Spa meeting
Max Verstappen has renewed his criticism of Formula 1’s new regulations, with the timing of his latest comments drawing attention after a scheduled meeting with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
The Red Bull driver finished second at Spa despite facing issues with his car throughout the weekend. His result nevertheless underlined the scale of the challenge: many fans believed Red Bull had not provided Verstappen with a car capable of securing pole position.
Verstappen’s qualifying performance was also shaped by circumstances beyond his own car, with Isack Hadjar’s tow helping him to a front-row start at Spa. Yet the competitive deficit remained a central talking point around Red Bull’s weekend.
A pointed assessment of the new rules
Verstappen has repeatedly expressed frustration with Red Bull’s performance this season, but his objections extend beyond the team. Speaking after qualifying, he compared the current cars to Formula 3 machinery in one key part of the lap, while highlighting the contrast with Formula 1 levels of downforce.
“For most of sector two, you run just on the engine, so what is that? Four hundred and fifty, five hundred horsepower, something like that, which is, I guess, more or less what a Formula 3 car has, but with F1 downforce.”
He made clear that he did not find that experience exciting, although he also indicated that he was trying to adapt rather than continue complaining.
“I’m mentally just adjusting to it, and I’m trying to make the best out of it, even though, of course, it’s not what I like or what I love to do in Formula 1.”
Domenicali meeting adds significance
According to Erik van Haren of De Telegraaf, Verstappen and Domenicali met on Sunday morning, one day after qualifying. The exact subject of their conversation is unknown, but Verstappen’s increasingly direct comments about the regulations have clearly attracted the attention of senior figures within Formula 1.
The timing is therefore difficult to ignore. Verstappen’s future has already become uncertain, with retirement mentioned if the rules do not change and his commitment to Red Bull beyond 2027 unresolved. Red Bull are trying to persuade him to remain, but their recent form has made that task increasingly difficult.
