The Red Bull star has not hidden his disdain for the new F1 rules

Max Verstappen has launched another scathing attack on Formula One’s new technical regulations, joking that he has abandoned his simulator in favour of Nintendo’s Mario Kart.

Speaking at Thursday’s press conference ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, the four-time world champion delivered a withering assessment of the 2026 cars.

“I swapped the simulator for my Nintendo Switch. I’m practising with Mario Kart, actually. Finding the mushrooms is going quite well, the blue shells are a bit more difficult,” Verstappen quipped.

The Dutchman made clear his dissatisfaction extends beyond humour, stating plainly: “I wish I had a bit more fun for sure.”

Max Verstappen admitted he wished F1 was ‘more fun’

 | REUTERS

He described the current competitive landscape as “a jungle” and expressed pessimism about Red Bull’s chances in Shanghai, suggesting a top-five finish remains unlikely given Mercedes and Ferrari’s dominance.

Verstappen’s criticism centres on genuine safety worries, particularly around the hybrid power units that now deliver energy in an almost equal split between combustion and electrical sources.

The Red Bull driver highlighted the danger of starting races with depleted batteries, pointing to a frightening moment at Melbourne’s season opener.

“Starting with the 0 per cent battery — not a lot of fun and also quite dangerous,” he said. “You can see, I mean, we almost had a massive shunt in Melbourne in the start.”

Franco Colapinto narrowly avoided colliding with Liam Lawson when the Racing Bulls car struggled off the line with minimal charge.

Max Verstappen has held talks with Formula One bosses ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix | GETTYVerstappen believes the solution is straightforward: “There are a few simple solutions, but they need to be allowed by the FIA. This is something that I think can be easily fixed.”

Despite his frustrations, Verstappen confirmed he remains committed to working with the sport’s governing bodies to address the problems.

“I don’t want to leave, but I also hope, of course, that it gets better,” he said.

The 28-year-old revealed that conversations are already underway with both Formula One and the FIA about potential improvements.

“I’ve had discussions with F1 and the FIA and I think we are working towards something, and hopefully that will improve everything,” Verstappen explained.

He expressed optimism that meaningful changes could arrive sooner rather than later: “I hope already for next year we can already make a decent improvement.”

Reports state that a drivers’ meeting originally scheduled for after the Japanese Grand Prix has been moved forward to take place following this weekend’s race in Shanghai.

Max Verstappen has already toiled under the new regulations

 | GETTYTo rediscover his passion for motorsport, Verstappen has turned to endurance racing, confirming his participation in the Nurburgring 24 Hours this May.

The event, held at the legendary Nordschleife circuit, sits between F1’s Miami and Canadian rounds in the calendar.

“It’s one of the best races in the world, it’s one of the best tracks,” Verstappen said. “In a GT car for me that’s like the perfect speed round there.”

The Dutchman harbours ambitions beyond Germany, expressing hopes to compete at both Spa and Le Mans in future years.

“I don’t need to be only a Formula 1 driver, I can also do other things,” he explained. “I’ve achieved everything that I wanted to achieve, so that’s why I want to explore other things.”

Despite his driving frustrations, Verstappen acknowledged the complexity of his situation: “It’s a bit conflicted because I don’t really enjoy driving the car, but I do enjoy working with all the people in the team.”