Japanese Grand Prix: What can sport’s bosses do to help keep Max Verstappen in F1?
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said: “The reason we’re adding a 350kW superclip overall is that we want to avoid drivers having to lift and dock. Because if there’s a lift and dock, there’s an even bigger speed difference to the following car.”
“It is a situation that needs to be examined with a certain level of analytical approach. I do not think there is a simple solution.
“It is on the agenda of the FIA (governing body) in terms of the aspects of the 2026 rules that need to be improved. We do not want to wait for events to take place to implement actions. We have a responsibility to implement the measures that need to be implemented, especially in terms of safety.”
F1, and by extension the teams, have made efforts to highlight the positive aspects of the new rules as some see them.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff stated that after the previous race in China he and F1 president Stefano Domenicali had discussed the positive reaction from spectators to the new form of racing, where cars overtake and re-overtake over several laps until positions stabilize in all three races so far.
Wolff said in Japan on Sunday: “No one can complain about the lack of good races. Would you agree? Yes or not?”
When the assembled media stopped responding, Wolff said: “Experts. Old-school traditionalists.”
However, this statement can also be directed to some drivers. Verstappen compared the new F1 to the “Mario Kart” computer game. Fernando Alonso called it the “battery world championship”.
Sainz said: “Racing is not a problem because maybe they are having fun watching it on TV. But from the driver’s perspective you are aware that there may be a speed delta of 50 km/h. This is not racing. There is no other category in the world that has these closing speeds. That’s when these accidents can happen.”
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who finished second to race winner Kimi Antonelli on Sunday, said: “We know as a sport there are a lot of things we need to fix, a lot of things we need to change. And especially in terms of safety, yes, there are some things that need to be looked at quite quickly.”
