Verstappen slammed the 2026 power‑unit rules, calling them an unseen adversary that turns every millimetre of throttle into a penalty.
Energy‑management woes hit the driver bench
Following Spa‑Francorchamps, media day in Budapest ran on the same theme that undid Piastri’s outspoken comments: algorithms that learn like a second‑hand driver, turning tiny inputs into later‑lap disadvantages.
Piastri castigated the system as “crap” because algorithms adapt over time, meaning even a slight input change can ripple across a lap, while wind direction or grip shifts create equivalent chaos outside a driver’s control.
Verstappen’s fight against the 2026 rules
During the Belgian round, Verstappen joked that “someone outside the press room could shoot” him if he continued, a comment he clarified as a joke in Hungary. He insisted the criticism had been dismissed for years, yet now “more people are seeing what I saw before.”
“It’s not about me winning anymore. It’s because I care about the product,” he added, noting that casual fans enjoy races while “those who understand the engineering can see the imbalance.”
According to him, the fastest teams can no longer form time gaps because a throttle push in one corner loses the straight that follows; a “free lap” is now punished. This neutralisation means teammates fight close contact as a single driver can’t single-handedly win.
In the context of the Hungaroring, he said energy‑rich corners reduce the effect, but otherwise “the picture doesn’t change.”
He also highlighted the new overtaking dynamics. His Overtake‑of‑the‑Month victory over Lewis Hamilton in Austria was attributed to an “extra boost button” that delivered twice the horsepower in that moment. He admitted the move was “different” and not enjoyable, describing overtakes as “flying straight past by doing nothing.”
He criticised the constant manipulation of ground‑effect wings on drafting, which reduce drag but make racing feel detached from the craft that players and fans value.
Overtaking re‑defined, but not in the way fans want
Verstappen warns that the “real racing” fans recognise the loss of manoeuvrability, while “non‑racing” fans applaud the number of moves. The shift to “energy‑economy” has turned overtaking into a stretch of straight‑line drafting rather than skillful braking or mid‑corner conquest.
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images
Verstappen’s critique rings true: the 2026 regulations may keep grid-wide talent relatively flat, while the energy‑management algorithms decide if a ride is championship‑tying or stagnating.
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