Verstappen on the attack: “Entertainment? We are the best drivers, we would give it even with rental cars. F1 must be purer”

First podium but same criticisms The first podium of 2026 and the beautiful battle with a vintage flavor that saw him opposed – albeit defeated – to Lewis Hamilton did not change Max Verstappen’s opinion regarding this Formula 1. The regulation introduced this season continues to not be appreciated by the four-time world champion who, even during the press conference after the Canadian GP, ​​did not fail to point out his lack of appreciation for this type of car and power unit. The drivers who race in Formula 1 are capable of putting on a show in any case and with any means – was the summary of Verstappen’s thoughts – but this is not real F1. It’s not a matter of show “This season I have driven different types of cars – explained Verstappen in the press conference, obviously referring to his experience in GT races – and especially last week [al Nurburgring]I realized how pure motorsport can be and how beautiful racing can be. Here in Formula 1 most of the drivers are among the best in the world, so we would give you a good show and race against each other very hard and well even if they gave us a rental car. So this aspect has nothing to do with the rules.” The criticism of the Dutch #3 is therefore all for the ‘drivability’ of these single-seaters and for the excessive complexity they present: “For me, while I’m driving, it’s all a bit confusing – Verstappen explained to journalists – this is not what Formula 1 should be. It’s all too complex. Regarding most of the rules the fans don’t even know what we are dealing with while driving, what is allowed when you are behind or when you are in front of another car, what we have to do on a formation lap or what we have to do on an exit lap, or how much battery we are allowed to charge. It’s a real shame that we have to deal with all these things. In my opinion F1 just needs to be purer and I really hope that what they are trying to do for next year goes through because I think it’s necessary, the bare minimum, to make it a little more natural and a little closer to normal, or at least a little more pure from a racing point of view. But like I said, as drivers, give us any type of car and we will always compete and always put on a good show.”

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News , 2026-05-25 18:31:00