Verstappen’s Criticisms
The 2026 season has been one of those that brought the biggest changes in technical regulations, with related consequences that have divided the Formula 1 world between criticism and praise. One who has never hidden his disappointment since the start of this championship is the four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who from the first races complained about how the 50/50 split between electric and combustion engine has lowered the level of the GPs, even going as far as to define the new cars as “Formula E on steroids”.
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What Verstappen loses according to Tost
Judgments not shared by the former Toro Rosso Team Principal Franz Tost (who had Verstappen on his team in 2015), who believes that the new rules have brought a particular disadvantage for the Dutchman: “I haven’t seen a single boring race this season” – declared the former Austrian manager to Krone – “of course, there have been many discussions about the new regulations. I can also understand the frustration of top drivers like Verstappen, Lando Norris or Fernando Alonso, who used to exploit their strengths in braking. But if you have to lift off the accelerator 10 or 20 meters before the braking point to recharge energy, that advantage is lost.”
Looking then to the future, Tost expressed again a positive thought regarding the regulations, with power units moving from a 58/42 split next year and 60-40 in 2028:
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“Development is going in a very positive direction” – he concluded – “there are many overtaking maneuvers, which in my opinion are exactly what the spectators want to see. Whether the battery is charged or discharged doesn’t matter to most fans.”
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