David Coulthard agrees with Max Verstappen: “2026 regulations are like a steamroller”

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen reiterated at the Hungaroring: “When the 2026 engine generation was being discussed years ago, I warned early on that it would lead to significant difficulties in terms of energy management.” The Dutchman believes his warnings fell on deaf ears.

Verstappen elaborated: “The complex energy management means that, for example, at Spa we’re driving around with an engine output that’s simply not worthy of Formula 1. When these new rules were being discussed years ago, I warned precisely about such scenarios – namely that the cars would run out of juice in certain sections of the circuit.”

“When I repeated my criticism during the first part of the World Championship, people were soon saying – ‘Oh, he’s always just moaning, and only because his car isn’t fast; he should just shut up.’ But I can sense that more and more people are coming round to my way of thinking, and slowly but surely people are realising that I didn’t speak out because I’m no longer winning, but because Formula 1 as a product is genuinely important to me.”

Max isn’t alone in his view. Long-serving Formula 1 driver David Coulthard says in the ‘Up to Speed’ podcast: “What I find a bit disappointing is that the new rules came at us like a steamroller, and there was virtually no reaction to them.”

“It reminds me of a scene from a slapstick film, where the steamroller rolls towards you, a man is standing in its path and says: ‘Oh, I’m going to be run over.’ And then, in the next scene, he looks at his watch and says: ‘Oh, I’m going to be run over.’”

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“So the rules were looming, and at the same time drivers and engineers were warning: ‘Listen, this isn’t going to end well.’ But there was virtually no response from the others. Then we travelled to Melbourne in 2026 and realised: ‘Oh, the cars are slowing down as they approach certain corners.’ ‘Yes, of course, because the drivers had to conserve energy.’

“I get the feeling here that we saw all this coming, but nobody really listened, and the fact that we then had to react to reality – in a sport that simulates absolutely everything to excess – I found that a bit disappointing, and that really has to be put down to the FIA.”

‘I know the FIA will be sensitive about this and retort: “Well, we’re just a small group of people and the F1 teams have hundreds of engineers.” That’s true, of course, but all the evidence was there to show that a 50:50 split between electric power and the internal combustion engine would prove tricky.”

“Action has now been taken; next year we’ll have a higher proportion of power from the internal combustion engine, and a little more again in 2028. But to see the obvious and then react so sluggishly is a bit disappointing.”