Verstappen: 2026 F1 cars more comfortable, but sometimes harder to drive
Max Verstappen finds the 2026 F1 cars generally more comfortable than their predecessors. But according to the Red Bull driver, that does not mean they are always easier to drive: sometimes it is actually harder to keep the car on the track.
Asked about the physical demands of the new generation of F1 cars, Max Verstappen gives a nuanced answer. According to RacingNews365, the Red Bull driver said in Baku that the cars generally feel more comfortable, but at certain moments are actually harder to keep under control.
Verstappen notices a difference from 2025 particularly on the straights. Whereas he says the car was constantly hitting the ground hard last year, he describes the current sensation as more like floating. In his experience, that generally makes driving a little more relaxed.
That does not mean the effort has disappeared. Verstappen says his level of fatigue varies and that the current cars are sometimes quite difficult to drive. Drivers still sweat, he emphasises, and keeping the car on the track is sometimes harder.
The distinction, then, is between comfort and keeping the car under control. His more positive assessment of the former is not a general statement that the cars are also easier to drive. Conversely, those difficult moments do not mean he finds the new generation more physically demanding across the board.
For Verstappen, driving is above all different now. In his account, the sporting challenge remains the same: even with this car, he keeps trying to find the limit.
Sources 01
- SOURCENew Red Bull makes Verstappen sweat after allRacingNews365 Nederland · Source date as found: 2026-09-23
Source context
RacingNews365 is the only available source. The article contains selected quotations; no full interview or recording has been supplied.
Claims and supporting evidence 5
This finding from the source must be read within the scope and source context described. Speaker, publication and context: published on 23 September 2026; according to the article, the remarks were made in Baku. The context and remarks are available solely through RacingNews365. The exact timing and original interview format are not specified.
This finding from the source must be read within the scope and source context described. Fatigue and handling: 2026 F1 season. This is Verstappen’s qualitative experience. He does not link these comments to a specific race, level of effort or frequency.
This finding from the source must be read within the scope and source context described. Comfort relative to the previous season: 2026 compared with 2025. This is his own comparison, not a measured improvement across all cars or circuits. The term ‘porpoising’ is an editorial addition by RacingNews365, not demonstrably Verstappen’s own technical diagnosis.
This finding from the source must be read within the scope and source context described. Sporting challenge: 2026 F1 season. This statement describes his approach to driving; it does not prove that lap times, the degree of difficulty or physical demands have remained the same.
This finding from the source must be read within the scope and source context described. Meaning of the remarks taken together: Verstappen’s assessment of the 2026 cars. This is an inference from his quoted experiences, not an objective assessment covering all drivers, teams or conditions.
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This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.