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Max Verstappen Gives Strong FIA Support Ahead of Key Decision
Highlights
- Verstappen supports FIA’s 60/40 internal combustion power split proposal
- He calls current power unit rules “anti-racing” due to energy management
- Manufacturers like Ferrari and Audi may delay changes until 2028
- Verstappen trusts FIA to decide on power unit regulations for 2026
- Monaco GP qualifying praised as intense despite energy saving rules
- Verstappen values FIA’s open discussions with drivers on regulation changes
Max Verstappen backs the FIA as it considers 2026 power-unit changes, advocating a 60/40 split favouring internal combustion to curb extreme energy management and return more performance to the driver.
The four-time champion labels the current rules “anti-racing,” arguing deployment tactics overshadow pace. He calls the 60/40 baseline the minimum needed to compete beyond 2026.
After his Montreal podium, Verstappen repeated the case for greater combustion emphasis, saying it widens operating windows and limits lift-and-coast. His sustained form reinforces his influence in the debate.
Verstappen: a 60/40 ICE split is the minimum for 2026.
Manufacturers remain split. Ferrari and Audi are understood to favour deferring major revisions until 2028, with timing shaped by the engine overhaul deadline and cost-control pressures.
Verstappen praises the FIA’s engagement with drivers, describing constructive dialogue. He says the decision now sits with the governing body, not Red Bull, amid the ongoing FIA–F1 teams debate.
He highlights Monaco as an exception, where qualifying intensity persists and energy saving is less intrusive. Elsewhere, he argues the rules narrow strategic options in qualifying and grands prix.
“Anti-racing”: Verstappen says energy saving now overshadows outright pace.
A 60/40 shift would alter calibration priorities, reshaping deployment maps, cooling targets, and rear-axle energy blending. It could also reduce manufacturer divergence driven by electrical performance peaks and recovery efficiency.
For Red Bull, a stronger ICE bias may reward efficient combustion concepts and low-drag packages. It should lessen state-of-charge sensitivity that often dictates wheel-to-wheel viability and defensive robustness.
Teams weigh cost caps against development lead times. Some bosses, notably Zak Brown, urge the FIA to fix the direction decisively to protect spectacle and planning certainty.
Verstappen accepts sustainability targets but argues competitiveness and racing purity must improve together. He trusts the FIA to make the right call for 2026 and beyond.
Verstappen says the final decision now rests with the FIA, not Red Bull.
Attention turns to Monaco, where Lewis Hamilton is among the favourites. Red Bull expects a tight fight on the streets while the paddock awaits final clarity on 2026 power-unit regulations.
Visual Summary
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60
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40
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Verstappen’s Demand:
More Engine, Less Electric
More Engine, Less Electric
The champion says F1’s future must favor combustion power (60%) vs. electric (40%).
After calling current rules “anti-racing”, Verstappen insists change is the only way for pure speed to return.
After calling current rules “anti-racing”, Verstappen insists change is the only way for pure speed to return.
FIA caught in the middle: Which direction will Formula 1 go?
“To keep racing hard, that 60/40 rule is the minimum.”
– Max Verstappen
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James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.
