The start of 2026 marks a pivotal moment for Formula 1 as the sport edges closer to its most radical technical overhaul in years. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has voiced scepticism about the incoming regulations, describing them as overly complicated, while the FIA has admitted shortcomings in addressing the physical toll of the current ground effect era on drivers. The Red Bull Racing star also revealed he maintains daily contact with former team principal Christian Horner despite the latter’s departure, and rising talent Isack Hadjar confessed to hitting his television during the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi finale as a Lewis Hamilton supporter.
Verstappen expresses doubts over complexity of 2026 technical rules
Max Verstappen has made no secret of his reservations about the technical regulations set to transform Formula 1 from this season onward. The reigning world champion told Viaplay’s Gemaximaliseerd programme that he remains uncertain whether the changes will improve the sport, citing their intricate nature as a primary concern.
“I’ve always stayed somewhere in the middle, because it could be okay or it might not be,” Verstappen explained. “But I think it’s going to be very complicated with all the regulations attached to it. It will be completely different.” The Dutchman added that he would have preferred to see “less of this nonsense,” suggesting a desire for simpler technical frameworks that prioritise pure racing over regulatory complexity.
The 2026 regulations introduce significant changes to power unit architecture, with a greater emphasis on electric power delivery and active aerodynamics. Teams have spent vast resources preparing for the shift, though concerns persist within the paddock about how these elements will interact during wheel-to-wheel combat. Verstappen’s comments reflect a broader unease among drivers who fear the new formula may prioritise technical gimmickry over driver skill and racing spectacle.
Daily communication continues between Verstappen and departed Horner
Despite Christian Horner’s exit as Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal in July, Max Verstappen has confirmed the pair remain in constant contact. The four-time champion disclosed that he speaks with Horner every race weekend, maintaining a professional relationship that extends beyond Horner’s official capacity with the team.
“I have to say that things weren’t running smoothly at the team in terms of results. There was some unrest within the team,” Verstappen acknowledged. “When it doesn’t go well for a longer period, shareholders want change. They didn’t like it either. It’s difficult when you still speak to each other on the phone.” The Dutchman revealed their conversations occur “every race on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” suggesting Horner continues to follow the team’s fortunes closely.
Verstappen noted that the atmosphere at Red Bull has improved since Horner’s departure, though he stopped short of drawing a direct correlation. The team endured a challenging second half of the 2025 season as performance margins narrowed and internal tensions surfaced publicly, prompting structural changes at the Milton Keynes operation.
New Red Bull driver Hadjar reveals he attacked television during 2021 Abu Dhabi controversy
Isack Hadjar, who joins Red Bull Racing for 2026 alongside Verstappen, has admitted to a moment of frustration that underscores his allegiance to Lewis Hamilton. The French driver confessed on The Red Flags Podcast that he physically struck his television during the final laps of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when Hamilton lost the championship to Verstappen under contentious circumstances.
“I was sitting alone in my room. I was all-in for Lewis. There were no cameras, no microphone. It was just me in front of my TV screen. I hit the television and that was it,” Hadjar recalled. The admission carries a touch of irony given he now partners the driver who benefited from that controversial race outcome, though Hadjar signed his Red Bull junior contract that same year.
The 2021 season finale remains one of the most debated moments in Formula 1 history, with the late safety car deployment and subsequent restart procedure prompting widespread criticism and regulatory changes. Hadjar’s candid revelation offers a glimpse into how intensely the moment resonated beyond the immediate protagonists, even among young drivers on the cusp of their own Formula 1 careers.
Antonelli identifies suspension change as cause of mid-season struggles
Kimi Antonelli has pinpointed a specific technical modification as the root of his challenging European campaign with Mercedes. The 18-year-old Italian, who replaced Lewis Hamilton at the team, managed just three points across the European races before recovering his form later in the season.
Speaking to Autosport, Antonelli explained that a suspension alteration on the Mercedes W16 disrupted his driving rhythm and confidence. “I think I lost a good two to three months of progress,” the rookie stated. “I was clearly struggling more with the rear end than George Russell. It was harder for me to adapt, mainly because of my driving style. It was a difficult period because I just kept losing more and more confidence.”
The suspension change affected Antonelli more severely than his experienced teammate, highlighting how sensitive modern Formula 1 cars are to setup direction and how differently drivers respond to technical philosophy shifts. Mercedes eventually found solutions that allowed Antonelli to rebuild his comfort level, though the lost development time proved costly in his debut campaign. The experience serves as a stark reminder that adaptation challenges for rookies extend beyond pure pace to include technical feedback and setup preferences.
FIA acknowledges failures in addressing porpoising and driver physical discomfort
Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater technical director, has conceded the governing body underestimated the physical impact of the current ground effect regulations introduced in 2022. Multiple drivers, including Verstappen, reported back pain and discomfort caused by aggressive ride heights and porpoising during the opening years of the formula.
“The fact that the optimal ride height of the cars was so much lower is something we didn’t foresee with the 2022 regulations,” Tombazis admitted to Autosport. “It’s something we missed, but not only ourselves but also the teams. In all the discussions that took place, this problem didn’t come up with anyone.” The acknowledgement represents a rare admission from the FIA that regulatory oversight contributed to driver welfare issues.
The porpoising phenomenon, where cars violently oscillate at high speed due to aerodynamic stalling, became a defining characteristic of the 2022 season. While teams gradually resolved the most extreme cases through setup changes and floor modifications, the need to run cars at minimal ride height to extract maximum downforce from the Venturi tunnels placed sustained physical strain on drivers over race distances.
Tombazis suggested the FIA could have intervened earlier or designed regulations with greater consideration for ride height implications. The 2026 rules include measures intended to address these concerns, though questions remain about whether the new formula will genuinely improve driver comfort or introduce fresh challenges.
What this means going forward
As Formula 1 enters the 2026 season under its most significant regulatory reset in a generation, Verstappen’s scepticism and the FIA’s admission cast attention on whether the sport has struck the right balance between technical innovation and practical racing. The increased complexity that concerns the Red Bull driver could manifest in reliability issues or strategic complications that overshadow wheel-to-wheel action, particularly during the early races as teams navigate unfamiliar territory.
The ongoing dialogue between Verstappen and Horner, meanwhile, adds an intriguing subplot to Red Bull’s campaign. Whether Horner’s continued informal involvement proves beneficial or complicating will likely depend on how new team principal Laurent Mekies establishes his authority. For Hadjar, the challenge of partnering the driver he once watched with conflicted emotions represents both opportunity and pressure as he seeks to establish himself at the sport’s highest level. Mercedes will hope the lessons learned from Antonelli’s mid-season difficulties inform their technical direction, ensuring both driver and car philosophy align from the season’s outset.
