Max Verstappen believes it is difficult to predict if the 2026 F1 regulations will be an improvement over the current rules. The contemporary ground-effects era began in 2022 after being delayed for a season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, those chassis regulations will be ripped up after just four seasons, with a heavily revamped power unit also scheduled to play a role in the sport's latest era. In order to mitigate the effects of the significant engine regulation changes, a new approach to aerodynamics was required. The new power units will see a significant increase in electrical power, and a substantial reduction in the effect of the internal combustion engine. Therefore, a more extreme bodywork solution was required to prevent top speeds from plummeting - something forecasts predict has only been partially achieved. However, Verstappen believes it is hard to say whether that means it will be a positive or negative development. "It's going to be quite different," the 26-year-old said to Formula.hu when assessing the new rules. "A bit slower in terms of lap time in most places. It's very difficult with new rules to predict. Is it positive, is it negative?"
'You never know with regulations'
Verstappen believes the best course of action is to wait and only judge when the curtain is lifted on the 2026 F1 season. There was scepticism above the current generation of chassis rules when they were first revealed. This included Adrian Newey, who has been the architect behind Verstappen's three drivers' championships - the latter two coming during the existing regulations. "I'm always more in the middle, I'll just wait and see how it goes," the Dutchman explains before drawing comparisons to the current rules. "That's also what happened with the regulations that we have now. I was a bit like, 'is it good, is it bad?' "Luckily, it worked out really nicely for me in terms of how competitive the team [Red Bull] was, but you never know with regulations."
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