Verstappen labels 2026 F1 cars ‘anti-racing’ after Canadian GP podium

Max Verstappen secured his first podium finish of a challenging 2026 campaign with a hard-fought third place in Montreal, bringing a wave of positivity to the Red Bull garage.

However, the four-time world champion did not let the result mask his ongoing frustrations with the sport’s current regulatory direction, insisting that Formula 1 is still far from delivering what he considers ‘pure racing.’

By Joel Oliva | RNT-Motorsports | 25 May 2026

Verstappen warns current cars feel ‘anti-racing’

While Red Bull showed significant progress in Canada to finish right behind the dominant Mercedes, Verstappen spent his post-race media duties focusing on the driving characteristics of the 2026 machinery.

Having recently spent time in GT racing, the Dutchman offered a scathing comparison of how the current power unit regulations impact the actual sensation behind the wheel, particularly during maximum-attack sessions.

“The thing is, I know how pure other motorsports can feel like. So then when you come back to this, it’s just not very nice,” Verstappen stated on Sky Sports.

“This is all a bit very anti-driving, anti-racing, and that’s not what Formula 1 should be about.”

Engine tweaks for 2027 remain a non-negotiable for Max

Verstappen arrived in Montreal slightly more optimistic following an agreement in principle by the FIA to alter future power unit regulations, shifting the power delivery towards a 60-40 split in favor of the internal combustion engine over electrical elements for 2027.

Despite hinting that these planned tweaks make him less likely to walk away from the sport at the end of the year, he warned that the technical platform must undergo a massive overhaul to remain viable for the drivers.

“Well, if it stays like this, it’s going to be a long year next year, which I don’t want. I can tell you, if it stays like this, it’s just mentally not doable,” Verstappen warned.

“I really hope that next year we can get that 60/40 because that will actually help everything a bit.”

Mercedes retirement opened the door for unexpected podium

Despite his broader concerns about the sport’s health, Verstappen was realistic about the competitive picture in Montreal, admitting that Red Bull benefited significantly from Russell’s mechanical drama ahead to inherit a top-three finish.

“No. For sure not,” Verstappen replied when asked if he expected to challenge for second place.

“But also of course because of the retirement of George [Russell]. Normally the two Mercedes cars would have taken off. So for us of course a positive result.

“I think on the softs, we were a little bit more competitive. On the medium, I just couldn’t generate the tyre temp that we needed around here. But nevertheless I think we had a good result, you know, for us to be on the podium.”