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Max Verstappen has made no secret of his feelings about the 2026 regulations, and the people running Formula 1 have started to push back. Stefano Domenicali reportedly had a conversation with Verstappen and emphasised the importance of showing respect for the sport. He is missing the point entirely.
Domenicali Is Focused on the Wrong Thing
Domenicali's reported message to Verstappen was essentially about tone. The F1 CEO highlighted that the sport has given drivers enormous platforms, income, and global recognition, and that this deserves respect in return. According to those present, Verstappen took the message on board.
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But focusing on how Verstappen expresses his frustration while ignoring what he is actually saying is a fundamental misreading of the situation. Verstappen is not complaining because he is losing. He is complaining because the sport has changed in a way that he believes has broken something fundamental about what Formula 1 is. That is a different conversation entirely, and it is one Domenicali should be having rather than deflecting.
The Racing Has Changed in a Way Everyone Can Feel
The first three race weekends of 2026 produced moments that illustrated Verstappen's point more vividly than any radio message could. Drivers conserving energy at drastically reduced speeds in the middle of racing laps. A 50G crash caused by a speed difference of more than
50 kilometres per hour between two cars on the same piece of track. A qualifying format where going slower produces faster lap times because of how the energy system works.
Formula 1 has always evolved, and it should. But evolution works when the changes improve the core product. When the changes create situations where experienced, qualified drivers are genuinely questioning whether what they are doing still constitutes racing, that is a signal worth taking seriously rather than managing.
The Bigger Risk Is Ignoring Him
The fact that Domenicali and George Russell have now sat down together with Verstappen suggests some awareness that the criticism cannot simply be waited out. That is progress. But those conversations need to produce visible results, and they need to do so before the situation hardens further.
Verstappen is 28 years old, already a four-time world champion, financially independent, and genuinely enthusiastic about racing in other categories. If Formula 1 loses him because the people running the sport prioritised image management over addressing legitimate sporting concerns, that will be one of the more avoidable mistakes in the sport's history.
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