Max Verstappen defended over F1 rules criticism

Red Bull simulator driver and Formula E champion Sebastien Buemi has publicly supported Max Verstappen's harsh critique of Formula 1's new power unit regulations, stating he "can't disagree" with the reigning world champion's assessment. Verstappen has repeatedly labeled the 2026-focused rules as "anti-racing" and akin to "Formula E on steroids," frustrations amplified by Red Bull's early-season technical reliability struggles.

Why it matters:

When the sport's most dominant and successful current driver voices strong, consistent criticism of future regulations, it carries significant weight and risks undermining fan and competitor confidence in F1's direction. Verstappen's comments strike at the core of the sport's identity, questioning whether the pursuit of sustainability and new manufacturers is compromising the raw, driver-focused racing that defines F1 for many purists.

The details:

• Buemi's Defense: In an exclusive interview, Buemi, a veteran Red Bull simulator driver with over two decades of team affiliation, emphasized Verstappen's right to an opinion due to his achievements, calling his perspective "extremely important."
• Direct Agreement: Buemi drew on his extensive Formula E experience to validate Verstappen's comparison, noting, "there are things that are quite similar," and conceded that some aspects of the new formula may be "a bit worse."
• Context of Criticism: Verstappen's complaints are not occurring in a vacuum. They follow a frustrating start to 2025 for Red Bull, with Verstappen suffering a Bahrain crash from a rear axle issue and a retirement in China due to an ERS coolant failure on the team's second-ever self-built power unit.
• The Core Complaint: Verstappen's primary issue is with the anticipated racing product, fearing the 2026 rules—which emphasize electrical energy and manual driver deployment—will create artificial, processional races that reduce wheel-to-wheel combat.

What's next:

The debate over the 2026 regulations is now publicly fueled by its biggest star.

• Red Bull's immediate focus is solving its RB22's reliability woes to return Verstappen to consistent winning form, proving their new powertrain division's capabilities.
• Long-term, the FIA and F1 management cannot ignore such high-profile criticism. While the 2026 framework is largely set, Verstappen's and Buemi's comments will increase pressure to ensure the final sporting and technical regulations deliver genuine racing, or risk a disconnect with the drivers and fans.