The former Toro Rosso team principal, Franz Tost, believes that the criticisms made by Max Verstappen of the new F1 regulations are understandable without endorsing them.
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However, the Austrian manager does not want to agree with the four-time world champion because he believes that the spectacle offered on track is overall very positive.
The introduction of the new technical rules in 2026, with an equal power split between the internal combustion engine and the electric part, has profoundly changed the driving.
Braking no longer separates the best from the others
Verstappen even compared these cars to a “Formula E on steroids,” denouncing an energy management that, according to him, distorts the very essence of Formula 1.
Tost, who gave Verstappen his start at Toro Rosso in 2015, fully understands this frustration, especially for drivers who made the difference in braking.
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“I haven’t seen a single boring race this season. Of course, the new regulations have sparked a lot of discussions, he says. I also understand the frustration of drivers like Verstappen, Lando Norris or Fernando Alonso, who were used to exploiting their talent in braking. But when you have to lift off ten or twenty meters before the braking point to recharge the battery, that advantage inevitably disappears.”
The spectacle first
Despite these criticisms, Tost believes that the new generation of cars fulfills its objective in terms of spectacle. According to him, the many overtaking maneuvers observed since the start of the season show that the direction taken by Formula 1 is the right one.
“Development is going in a very positive direction. We see a lot of overtaking, and that’s exactly what spectators want to see, in my opinion. Whether the battery is charging or discharging ultimately matters little to the majority of fans,” he noted.
Tost is also optimistic about the future, recalling that the adjustments already planned regarding the power split between the internal combustion engine and the hybrid part should gradually improve the behavior of the cars while maintaining the level of spectacle observed this season.
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