Max Verstappen left 'completely empty' by joyless F1 rules

Max Verstappen has described himself as feeling "completely empty" by F1's new regulations following a miserable qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.

Through the three practice sessions at Melbourne's Albert Park, Red Bull driver Verstappen indicated he was pushing for a top-five grid position before embarking on his first serious push lap just after the midway point of the opening 18-minute Q1.

But as the four-time F1 champion stepped on the brakes at the end of the start-finish straight, the car violently spun underneath him, sending him hurtling across the gravel and into a barrier. He will now line up 20th for Sunday's race.

The incident aside, Verstappen later made clear he is far from enjoying the new regulations, and the management required over the course of even a qualifying lap to get the best out of his car. 

"You just can't drive naturally," said Verstappen, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365. 

Asked for his feelings on his disappointing qualifying, there was no frustration or anger in Verstappen's response, but the apathy was clear.

"Whether I had been at the front or where I am now, in terms of emotion and feeling, I am completely empty," he said. "I'm not enjoying myself at all."

Verstappen 'mentally prepared' for long year

The problems for Verstappen are as he suspected following testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, confirming what he already feared.

"In the sim, it already felt bad, too, to the point where you just don't want to drive anymore," he said. "I've already explained that, and it's just the same now."

Verstappen has confirmed he is now "mentally preparing" for a long year ahead, at the end of which, who knows what decision he will make on his future.

Although agreeing with the principle that a driver can make a difference in the car this year, he has offered an alternative point of view on how that difference can be made.

"That's more as a manager than as a driver, right?" he said. "You have to make do with what you have, and what you have is not much now."