Canadian Grand Prix 2026: Max Verstappen threatens to quit again over engine rules
Max Verstappen has threatened to leave Formula 1 at the end of this season if planned changes to engine regulations for next year are blocked.
The FIA governing body said two weeks ago it had reached agreement in principle on changes that would reduce the need for energy management with new engines introduced this year.
However, opposition emerged in subsequent discussions about the details of the plan and there is currently insufficient support for the move to pass under F1’s governance protocols.
“If it stays like this, next year will be a long year and I don’t want that,” Verstappen said.
“It’s not mentally possible for me to stay like this. Not really.”
Verstappen confirmed he would not return if he decided to stop. “There are a lot of other fun things out there,” he said.
Drivers this year complained that new engines, with a nominal 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric power, always reduce their ability to drive at the limit.
Engines are starved of energy, requiring techniques to recover energy even in qualifying.
A change has already been made to solve this problem and the latest plan is to actually make the energy split 60-40, currently around 54-46 in favor of the internal combustion engine.
The effect of this will further reduce the need for energy management, especially in qualifying.
