The Dutchman doesn’t like the 2026 rules
“He’s throwing a tantrum”. “He says that because he’s not used to not being in front”. Several prominent figures such as Gunther Steiner and Mario Andretti have criticized the attitude of Max Verstappen, who has never missed an opportunity to emphasize how much he dislikes the 2026 F1, even going so far as to suggest retirement because he is no longer having fun.
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According to Riccardo Patrese, however, F1 must do some soul-searching regarding the 2026 regulations because – unlike what Juan Pablo Montoya believes – it cannot afford to lose drivers like Max Verstappen: “At this moment, Verstappen is the driver capable of providing the most spectacle and making F1 exciting – said Patrese when reached by Grosvenor Casino – the Circus needs a driver like Verstappen, it cannot afford to lose him. He has a strong character and could even decide to leave because he has already achieved the results he wanted, fulfilling all his ambitions. Verstappen has always been very clear about the fact that the moment the motivation and the joy of driving were to fade, he would go racing elsewhere.”
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Regarding a possible departure from F1, Patrese still believes that before leaving the paddock, Verstappen will try to win with another team: “We know he decided to stay at Red Bull this year to evaluate which team has interpreted the new rules best – he added the former driver – I believe that before leaving Formula 1, he would like to try driving another competitive car and perhaps aim for his fifth world title,”
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