Max Verstappen Urges Mid-Season Rule Changes After Chaotic Australian Grand Prix Under F1 2026 New Regulations

By Samira Vishwas On Mar 9, 2026

Even before the 2026 Formula 1 season began, Max Verstappen had been one of the biggest critics of the new regulations. After the season opener at the Australian Grand Prix 2026 on Sunday in Melbourne, his criticism only deepened, as he called for “proper Formula 1 on steroids.”

It was a “terrible” weekend for the four-time world champion. Verstappen started from the back of the grid and finished sixth in his first outing under the new F1 regulations after suffering a heavy crash during the qualifying session.

Verstappen did not even get to set a lap time before his car slammed into the barriers, triggering a red flag and ending his session.

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The 2026 F1 overhaul features a 50-50 split between the internal combustion engine and electrical energy. The new rules are designed to make the cars more nimble and have replaced the traditional DRS system with Overtake Mode and Straight Line Mode.

And the first @DHL_Motorsports Fastest Lap of the new season goes to… Max Verstappen! ⏱️💨
👉 https://t.co/sOAsD9IxzG#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/hu6ViQiA2G
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 8, 2026

When Verstappen first took his RB22 to the track during preseason testing, debuting the in-house built Red Bull Ford Powertrains unit under the new regulations, he described the experience as “Formula E on steroids.” He criticised the changes and was later joined by several other drivers and F1 pundits, including Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.

Now, after the first official race of the season, Verstappen has become even clearer about why he believes the regulations are not working and should be reconsidered, even during the season.

“I love racing, but you can only take so much, right?” he said. “I think the FIA and F1 are willing to listen, but I just hope there is some action. I’m not the only one saying it. A lot of people are saying the same thing, whether it’s the drivers or the fans,” he told RacingNews365.

Verstappen insisted that his call for change is not about personal demands but about the health of the sport, which he believes is being damaged.

“We just want the best for the sport. It’s not that we are critical just for the sake of being critical. We are critical for a reason. We want it to be Formula 1—proper Formula 1 on steroids—but today, again, that was not the case,” he said.

Later, Verstappen explained the problems he faced during the race.

“I had no battery,” he said. “Somehow, on the formation lap, it drained all the battery. I launched, and I had zero battery, so basically no power.”

Despite these issues, Verstappen managed to climb through the field from the back of the grid to finish sixth and even put pressure on defending champion Lando Norris in the battle for fifth place.

The one-stop tyre strategy also became a major talking point at Albert Park. Verstappen beleived that he was better driving on the mediums. “It was quite clear that we had a lot of degradation and graining on the hard compound, which we thought was going to be better. Unfortunately, it looked like the medium was the better tyre today,” he said.