Max Verstappen drops 'Formula 3' comparison as F1 vow made

Max Verstappen says he does not want to continue his public criticism of F1's rules "because probably someone will shoot me outside the door."

Verstappen, aided by team-mate Isack Hadjar giving him a tow, qualified second for the Belgian Grand Prix - with the Spa circuit one of the toughest on the calendar for energy management and the 50:50 split in power output. 

With the long straights in Sectors 1 and 3 demanding higher battery use, the second sector of the lap has been where drivers are reverting to just ICE power, as Verstappen explained that the feeling was akin to "what a Formula 3" car has.

The four-time champion then added that he is "mentally adjusting" to the rules, and did not want to continue his well-worn public criticism of the rules, which have been revised for 2027 and 2028.

"For most of sector two, you run just on the engine. So, what is that? 450 or 500 horsepower?" Verstappen pondered to media, including RacingNews365.

"Something like that, which is more or less what a Formula 3 car has, but with F1 downforce, so you can imagine, of course, that that is not very exciting to drive.

"But honestly, I don’t want to sit here and complain again because probably someone will shoot me outside the door.

"As I said before, I’m mentally just adjusting to it, and I’m trying to make the best out of it, even though, of course, it’s not what I like, not what I love to do in F1.

"I can also sit at home and drive nothing, but that also doesn’t do anything. So I’m just trying my best."