Max Verstappen reveals he is in discussions with the FIA to correct a safety issue that appeared with the new 2026 single-seaters. Several cars are indeed finding themselves on the grid with almost empty batteries, creating worrying speed gaps at the start.
Read more Ferrari accelerates development: a new evolution unveiled in China
The first Grand Prix of the 2026 F1 season highlighted an unexpected flaw in Formula 1’s new technical rules. During the race start in Melbourne, several single-seaters set off with very little energy available in their batteries.
For Max Verstappen, this situation represents a real safety problem. The four-time world champion believes that starting a race with an empty battery can cause significant speed differences between cars, which becomes particularly risky when the entire pack sets off at the same time.
“Starting with 0% battery is not very fun and it’s also quite dangerous” explains the Red Bull driver.
The Dutchman himself faced this scenario during the Australian Grand Prix, where he started from last place after an unexpected accident in qualifying.
The incident that almost caused a huge crash
The problem was spectacularly illustrated at the start in Melbourne. Liam Lawson had an extremely slow getaway, leaving his car almost stationary on the grid.
Behind him, Franco Colapinto found himself at full speed and had to make a last-second evasive maneuver to avoid a potentially violent collision.
Verstappen emphasizes that this episode could have had much more serious consequences: “We saw that we almost witnessed a huge accident at the start in Melbourne.”
According to him, this phenomenon was not isolated. Several drivers started with very low battery charges, sometimes at only 20 or 30%.
“I wasn’t the only car with almost no battery, or let’s say 20 to 30%. This creates large speed differences.”
Read more Adrian Newey’s public criticism weakens the partnership with Honda
Simple solutions on the table
Despite his repeated criticisms of the new engine regulations introduced in 2026, Verstappen assures that he is actively working with the governing bodies to improve the situation.
The Red Bull driver claims that solutions already exist to solve this problem, but they require FIA approval.
“There are a few simple solutions, but they must be authorized by the FIA regarding battery-related aspects.”
Some measures could also involve technical adjustments, such as improvements to anti-stall systems or rules regarding energy management before the start.
For Verstappen, this type of modification could be implemented relatively quickly: “It’s something that can be fixed quite easily.”
Verstappen wants to improve F1, not leave it
These discussions with the FIA are part of a broader debate around the new 2026 cars. Since their introduction, Verstappen has not hidden his reservations about the philosophy of the new rules.
Despite this, the Dutchman insists that he wants to contribute to improving the situation rather than walking away from it.
“I really hope we don’t have to keep these cars as they are for several years. I hope that from next year, we can make good improvements.”
Discussions between drivers, teams, and the FIA are therefore continuing behind the scenes. The goal: to quickly correct the flaws that appeared at the start of the season to prevent a serious incident from tarnishing Formula 1’s new technical era.
Read more Pierre Gasly ready to take on the Sprint challenge in Shanghai after a mixed start