Verstappen: “Now the driving is a little more pleasant, but I remain critical. We need to go back to 75-80% thermal”

Miami, is it a new F1? There was curiosity to understand how cars and drivers would react to the long list of changes decided by F1 and the Federation to improve the 2026 regulations already in Miami. After the Sprint, several of the protagonists on the track did not want to go too far and remained cautious, maintaining that the particularity of the Miami track is not the best test bed for evaluating real progress in this sense. However, the feeling is that a small step forward has been made. Verstappen’s thoughts have not substantially changed. There was a lot of curiosity in understanding what Max Verstappen’s judgment would be, expected all the more after the rediscovered competitiveness of Red Bull – which allowed him to qualify second and which today will see him start from the front row. Did the heavy criticism of the Dutchman in recent weeks depend on the disappointing competitiveness of Red Bull or were they sincere? In the statements collected by GPBlog colleagues, Verstappen’s thoughts seemed clear: “The car itself is fine, you can race quite well. We just need to move away from the current 55:45 ratio and go back to how it was before. And therefore 75-80% in favor of thermal. These discussions are always a political question, because everyone tries to gain some advantage. I only think about how our sport could improve. We simply have to eliminate some things, such as the fact that pushing longer on the accelerator then he penalizes on the straight.” So Verstappen remains doubtful: “My criticism of the regulations remains the same, it matters to me whether I’m second or eighth. Personally, the driving sensation is a little more pleasant, but we still need to find a solution.”

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News
2026-05-03 20:00:00