Max Verstappen wins in court of public opinion over F1 criticism

Formula 1 fans have backed Max Verstappen's right to voice his criticisms of the 2026 regulations, despite mounting calls from prominent figures within the sport for the four-time world champion to keep his opinions to himself.

The Dutchman has been unrelenting in his assessment of the new technical rules, stating: "It's just everything else that is a bit, for me, anti-racing."

Verstappen has labelled the new regulations as "Formula E on steroids" due to the increased reliance on electrical energy, describing the cars as "not fun to drive."

His frustrations stem from what he sees as artificial racing, where drivers must downshift on straights and use energy recovery strategies instead of traditional overtaking methods.

"If someone likes this, then you really don't know what racing is about," the Red Bull driver said, comparing the racing format to "Mario Kart" gaming.

Verstappen's concerns extend to competitive balance, warning: "For me, the problem is, it looks like it's going to be an ICE competition, like whoever has the strongest engine will have a big benefit."

Those comments prompted a sharp response from former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who urged Verstappen to "put his own ego aside" and become a "team player." Martin Brundle was equally critical, suggesting the four-time drivers' champion's complaints are "doing damage" to the sport, arguing that "nobody is indispensable in this business."

Yet a RacingNews365 poll reveals significant fan support for Verstappen's stance, with readers backing his right to express concerns about the new regulations.

The criticism comes as the 71-time grand prix winner endures a difficult start to the season, sitting ninth in the standings with just 12 points from three races.

Check out the full results from the latest poll from RacingNews365 below.