No chance 2026 cars will turn Max Verstappen off Formula One, says Red Bull boss

SAKHIR – Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies rejected a suggestion on Feb 18 that four-time former world champion Max Verstappen could lose interest in Formula One because of the sport’s new engine era.

Verstappen has been outspoken about the new crop of cars, saying last week that his Red Bull was not much fun to drive and more like “Formula E on steroids”.

A Dutch reporter told Mekies at a press conference during pre-season testing in Bahrain that the driver had said he had not wanted to drive the 2026 car on the simulator in 2025 because he disliked the feeling so much.

“Have you any concerns of him losing interest in this kind of Formula One?” he was asked.

“Short answer is no,” Mekies replied.

“Zero concern about that.

“And yes, I do recall our conversation last year when he was switching from a car model to another car model. And yes, the difference was so big that at some stage I think rightly he decided to focus on the ’25 (car).

“The reality is that the challenge of these regulations is massive... but that’s also what we love, to try to break through these challenges. Try to find solutions that we felt were not on the table. And that’s what we will do with Max.”

The F1 season starts in Australia on March 8 and Verstappen, appearing in a separate press conference with other drivers, said he was just being honest.

The 28-year-old, who lost out to McLaren’s Lando Norris in 2025, also doubled down on concerns about the electrical element, now 50-50 with the internal combustion engine, playing too big a part.

“I don’t want us to be close to (all-electric) Formula E. I want us to actually stay away from that and be Formula One,” he said.

“Don’t increase the battery, actually get rid of that and focus on a nice engine and have Formula E as Formula E, because that’s what they are about.”

Meanwhile, F1’s governing body moved to close a suspected loophole in the new engine regulations on Feb 18 by proposing a change from August.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that it had recently launched an e-vote on changing the assessment of the power unit compression ratio in running condition.

It said that from Aug 1, compliance with the limit “must be demonstrated not only at ambient conditions but also at a representative operating temperature of 130 deg C”.

The subject has been a major talking point in the pre-season, with Mercedes – who insist their engine is completely legal – suspected of exploiting a loophole to gain performance through thermal expansion of components.

Mercedes supply engines to champions McLaren as well as their own works team, Williams and Renault-owned Alpine.

If the proposal is accepted for August, that would still give them and customer teams the first 13 races of the 24-round season before any change.

Red Bull, who are now making their own engines, also supply sister team Racing Bulls. Audi, Honda (Aston Martin) and Ferrari are the remaining engine manufacturers.

Mekies said on Feb 18 that he welcomed clarity.

“We don’t think it’s noise,” he said, after Williams chief James Vowles had used that expression.

“It’s true that it is early days, but it will come along very quickly where it’s a competitive advantage – whether it’s one, two, three, whatever number of tenths, it’s going to make a difference.” REUTERS