'It's Terrible, A Joke': Max Verstappen's Biggest Rant Yet On F1 New Rules

Last Updated:March 15, 2026, 17:57 IST

Max Verstappen blasted F1’s new rules after retiring in China, calling them “Mario Kart” racing. He claimed most drivers dislike the new power-boost system.

It’s no secret that four-time world champion Max Verstappen hates Formula One’s latest innovation and rule changes. From comparisons to ‘Formula E on steroids’ and video games, he has said it all.

On Sunday (March 15), after being forced to retire his Red Bull car in the middle of the Chinese Grand Prix due to a cooling issue, Verstappen went on arguably his biggest rant yet. He claimed that most of the grid, except those drivers who have been doing well, of course, are with him in their dislike for the new rules.

“It’s terrible. If someone likes this, then you really don’t know what racing is like. Not fun at all. Playing Mario Kart. This is not racing. Boosting past, then you run out of battery, the next straight they boost past you again. For me, it’s just a joke," he said, as quoted by The Race.

This year, F1 has enforced a 50/50 power split between the fuel engine and electric battery to make the sport more sustainable and attract new manufacturers (like Audi and Cadillac). As a result, the old DRS, where the car’s rear wing would open to aid in overtaking, is gone, replaced by ‘Overtake Mode’.

In it, if a driver is within one second of the car ahead, they get a massive electrical power boost to help them pass. However, that also means drivers need to manage their battery usage in the middle of the race, making the sport more about energy strategy than ever before.

“I think they [the series organisers] understand where we are coming from as drivers. I speak for most of the drivers – some of course will say it’s great because they’re winning races, which is fair enough. When you have an advantage, why would you give that up, right? Because you never know if you’re going to have a good car again. But if you just speak to most of the drivers, yeah, it’s not what we like, I don’t think it’s what the real F1 fans like. Maybe some fans like it but they don’t understand racing," he added.

The main benefactors have been Mercedes, who have secured back-to-back one-twos to kick off the season.

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