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MAX VERSTAPPEN WARNS OF "HEAVY GARAGE TIME" AHEAD OF BARCELONA 2026 TESTING
Max Verstappen predicts 2026 testing will be a "garage session" as Red Bull Ford faces its first reliability hurdles. Read more.
For the past decade or so, Formula 1 teams haven’t really worried about reliability. They had the last set of rules pretty much figured out.
But 2026 changes everything. The new engine rules shake things up, and honestly, this is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing pre-seasons we’ve seen in a long time.
Red Bull, for one, has plenty on its plate. They’re running a brand-new engine, and there’s a lot to sort out.
If that engine doesn’t perform, you can bet Max Verstappen will start weighing his options. He’s all about winning, and these 2026 rule changes are the biggest threat to his run with Red Bull since he joined.
Fans said the same about Racing Bulls’ car when it first hit the track at Imola in the rain. Liam Lawson was out there collecting Red Bull’s first real data in a private session, but things didn’t go as smoothly as anyone hoped.
Verstappen called it—more time in the garages. Racing Bulls ended up stuck after just one lap, tinkering with the car for a while before they could finish their 15 km shakedown.
Ford’s helping Red Bull out by speeding up production and keeping things simple—no juggling multiple teams or setups. Still, that first day with the new engine was rough.
Verstappen actually predicted this at the Red Bull launch in Detroit last week. He figured testing would mean more time in the garage than on the track. “I think during the first tests in Barcelona starting on 26 January, we’ll be spending more time in the garages than out on the track,” he said. None of us has any idea about the new car or the engine. Hopefully, we’ll all be a bit wiser after the two tests in Bahrain in February.”
So, when was the last time reliability was a real issue in pre-season testing? Fans should probably buckle up for 2026, because those problems are coming back. The championship’s been almost too reliable and predictable lately.
A little drama makes things more interesting. It puts the pressure back on teams to develop and adapt.
Remember 2014? Some teams could barely keep their cars running with the new 1.6-litre V6 engines, and most people weren’t huge fans of those changes either. The cars got quieter, and the tech took a big leap forward. This time, though, the changes aren’t quite as massive, so the adjustment shouldn’t hit as hard.
MELBOURNE WARNING: MAX SAYS FANS WILL SEE "UNNATURAL" LIFT-AND-COAST DURING THE AUSTRALIAN OPENER
Max Verstappen calls 2026 F1 rules "anti-racing." Discover why he thinks the new engines feel like Formula E on steroids.
Max Verstappen isn’t letting up on his criticism of the new 2026 Formula 1 rules. He says F1 needs to “stay away” from turning into Formula E.
Last week in Bahrain, Verstappen really stirred things up during pre-season testing. He called the new rules “anti-racing” and basically said the series is turning into “Formula E on steroids".
Here’s what’s going on: the next generation of F1 engines will rely way more on electrical power, almost a 50-50 split with the combustion engine. So, battery management is about to become a huge part of racing, not just a side thing.
What does that actually mean? Well, drivers might have to downshift even on the straights just to save energy. That’s a move straight out of Formula E, where drivers sometimes drop back on purpose to save battery and then attack late in the race.
Verstappen wants none of it. When someone asked him if F1 might start attracting more Formula E drivers because of all this battery management or even become a feeder series for the all-electric championship, he didn’t hold back. “Well, let’s hope not,” he said.
He clarified he’s not against the drivers. “There are a lot of good drivers in Formula E who could do well here,” Verstappen said. “But I don’t want F1 to get close to Formula E.”
He was pretty blunt about what he wants: “I want us to actually stay away from that and be Formula 1. So don’t add more battery. Actually, get rid of that and focus on a proper engine. Let Formula E be Formula E, because that’s their thing.”
He’s seen the new Gen4 Formula E car, and he thinks it looks cool. “But let them be Formula E, and we should stick to Formula 1. Let’s not mix them up.”
Verstappen isn’t the only one talking about the 2026 rules. They’ve really split opinions. Lando Norris, last year’s world champion, said the new cars are “a lot of fun".
When someone asked Verstappen if he got any pushback from the authorities for speaking out, he just shrugged it off. “I’m just sharing my opinion,” he said. “We have free speech. That’s how I feel. Not everyone has to agree, and honestly, it doesn’t really matter what other people say. I got a question, and I answered it.
“I think I’m allowed to do that. So it’s not about pushback or anything.”
THE 2026 BLUEPRINT: HOW LEWIS HAMILTON IS SECRETLY SHAPING FERRARI’S NEXT-GEN POWER UNIT
Lewis Hamilton is betting on 2026: Discover why Jenson Button believes new F1 rules will save Hamilton’s struggling Ferrari career.
Jenson Button thinks the new Formula 1 rules are going to be a turning point for Lewis Hamilton’s future in the sport. Hamilton’s first year with Ferrari? Pretty rough. He didn’t even get on the podium once, a first for him, and finished sixth in the drivers’ standings, while Ferrari landed fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. Now, Hamilton’s 41 and not shy about wanting things to get better this season. Button, though, is still hopeful. He figures Hamilton’s early work with Ferrari’s 2026 car could really pay off.
Button knows what he’s talking about; he spent three years as Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren. Watching Hamilton struggle last season was hard for him. “It was tough, I have to say, watching Lewis in 2025,” Button told Sky Sports News before the new season kicks off in Australia on March 8. “I know how good he is. You could see how much it hurt him. You almost forget everything he’s accomplished because you just see the pain in his face. But honestly, with these new regulations, I think we’ll see Lewis back at his best.”
Button thinks Hamilton’s going to have a real say in how Ferrari builds the new car, and that’ll make a big difference. “He’ll help shape the car in a way that works for him,” Button said. “I hope we see that. Everyone wants to see Ferrari and Lewis fighting at the front again.”
The rule changes this time around are pretty major. The biggest stuff? Overhauls to the power unit and new hybrid engines. Aerodynamics are getting a shake-up, too, and F1’s dropping the drag reduction system completely. Teams also have to deal with new financial rules after the cap on operational costs went up. Ferrari’s hoping all this helps them get back in the title fight. Button, who just retired last year, says with all these changes, “anything is possible” as the sport heads into a new era.
Last season, Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc outshone him, grabbing seven podiums even though they drove the same car. Leclerc’s been at Ferrari longer, so that probably helped, but Hamilton’s betting that another year at Maranello will give him what he needs by 2026.
Still, Button doesn’t sugarcoat it. If things don’t turn around for Hamilton this year, it might never work out, which could mean the end of the road for him in F1. “Switching teams and going up against someone who’s been there for years is always tough,” Button said. “But now Lewis has had time to settle in, build relationships, and shape the car’s direction. This year’s huge for him. If it doesn’t click, I don’t know if it ever will. This is his chance to turn things around.”
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