Formula 1's energy-management rules may make 4-time champ Max Verstappen contemplate his future in the series

Nick BrombergSun, March 29, 2026 at 1:32 PM UTC

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Formula 1’s new energy-management rules are not winning over Max Verstappen.

The four-time F1 champion told the BBC that he’s even considering stepping away from F1 at the end of the 2026 season if he’s not having fun in the series.

Verstappen finished eighth on Sunday in the Japanese Grand Prix, but it’s fair to say the way the new cars have to be driven is more of a factor in Verstappen’s unhappiness with F1 than the relative lack of speed his Red Bull cars have shown through the first three races of the season.

From the BBC:

Asked in an interview with BBC Sport whether that meant he was going to walk away at the end of the season, the Dutchman said: "That's what I'm saying. I'm thinking about everything inside this paddock.

"Privately I'm very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it's 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you're not enjoying your sport?"

Verstappen went on to add that he’s content racing for seventh or eighth “because I also know that you can't be dominating or be first or second or whatever, fighting for a podium every time.” But he added that when you’re running in the back half of the points “and you are not enjoying the whole formula behind it, it doesn't feel natural to a racing driver.”

Verstappen, 28, is not the only driver who has expressed displeasure with the way that F1’s rules have changed driving styles in 2026. The series introduced overhauled regulations for both the cars and engines. The cars are designed to rely a lot less on ground-effect downforce. And the engines are a bigger combination of electric and combustion power.

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And it’s the engines that have led to most of the consternation within the paddock. Drivers now have to manage their battery power throughout the course of a lap. Instead of simply going flat-out down a straightaway and gaining more and more speed as the straight goes on, a driver can actually lose speed at the top end thanks to a phenomenon known as “super clipping” as the cars slow down while going in a straight line because the battery needs to recharge.

Passing isn’t no longer about simply having the fastest car and setting up the opportunity. It’s now about managing your battery power the best for an entire lap and hoping you can deploy it in a zone where another driver isn’t.

Verstappen has previously said that he may not be an F1 lifer and could decide to explore other racing opportunities during the prime of his career. Earlier this year, he said that F1’s new rules were like “Formula E on steroids” and said this in November about his future.

“My contract runs until 2028, but it will depend on the new rules in 2026 if they are nice and fun,” Verstappen said.

“If they are not fun, than I don’t really see myself hanging around. Winning seven titles is not on my mind. I know that there are three more years after this one, so it could be possible, but it is not something I need to do before I leave the sport. I can leave the sport easily tomorrow.”

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli won the Japanese Grand Prix thanks to a well-timed pit stop. Antonelli hadn’t made his pit stop when Ollie Bearman crashed on lap 22 and was able to retain the lead by pitting under the safety car. He then easily drove away from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Antonelli has won the last two races after his teammate George Russell won the first race of the season. The next Formula 1 race isn’t until May 3 in Miami due to the cancellations of the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix because of the war in Iran. The unexpected break in April could give the FIA an opportunity to further tweak the energy management rules ahead of Miami.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Sports”