Verstappen called ‘best driver’ as F1 president warns over his 2026 F1 regs remarks

• Domenicali warns Max Verstappen to respect his influential voice in F1.
• F1 CEO holds talks with Verstappen over controversial new racing regulations.
• Retirement rumours shadow Verstappen as Domenicali defends sport’s future.

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F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali has publicly addressed Max Verstappen’s concerns about the modern-day F1 rules while praising the champion’s racecraft and noting that his insights hold immense value.

He revealed that he had spoken to the Dutchman since the very beginning, and they have tried to understand each other’s points of view on the new regs. He also mentioned that Verstappen was present even in the current meeting and was keen to present his suggestions on improving the sport.

Verstappen have been pretty straightforward about his thoughts on new regs, often referring funnily to them as “anti-racing,” “Mario Karting,” or “Formula E on steroids.” He doesn’t have a problem with the position he currently stands in, as he’s well aware that one can’t be dominant every season.

However, what doesn’t sit well with him is that the sport no longer feels like real racing to him, where drivers can push a car to its absolute physical limit and extract meaningful results. He isn’t currently in favour of the sport becoming a game of energy management, in which there are times when drivers get helpless as they are forced to sit back and watch their rivals go away while they wait for their battery to restore.

F1 president says Verstappen’s thoughts on new regs hold weightage

In a recent interview with Autosport, Domenicali shared his thoughts on a conversation with Verstappen over the new regs and praised the driver’s talent, while urging him to be cautious of his criticism of the sport, as his voice matters.

“So we’re going to be together. He’s the best driver, he’s a world champion, multiple world champion, and of course, his voice has to be listened to. But of course, he knows that his voice also has a weight. And he needs to respect that weight [because] sometimes some people can take it the wrong way. And this is something that we should not allow to happen.”

While he’s okay with drivers voicing their concerns, he wants them to make sure that they all hold respect for the sport that provides them with a consistent opportunity to grow, create influence, and make tons of money.

He has also asked them to keep in mind that together they have all built this sport doing the right things, and it shouldn’t be disregarded. He said that the things F1 has given to all of them couldn’t be provided elsewhere, no matter how much love they carry for another sport. He’s certain that the drivers have acknowledged his take.

The uncertainty around Max Verstappen’s F1 future

Currently, there are two scenarios at play in discussions around Verstappen: either he’ll retire from the sport or move to another team as Red Bull Racing continues to struggle. The first possibility gained attention when Verstappen clearly stated in interviews that he no longer enjoys the sport and will assess the remaining races before making a final decision.

On top of that, news of GP leaving Red Bull for McLaren resurfaced an old interview in which he claimed he would stop the day GP stops, further fueling the rumours. With recent organisational shakeups at the team, many now speculate that this could potentially lead to the Dutchman’s exit, either from the sport entirely or prompt his move to another team.

Undoubtedly, everyone wants Verstappen, including top teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren. But whether Verstappen himself wants to join them, leaving behind the team that contributed immensely to his success, remains the biggest question.