Verstappen wants braking and throttle to decide F1 lap times

Max Verstappen argues that Formula 1 lap times should be decided by driving, not energy management. The four-time champion put his preferred approach plainly: “You should be able to go out, have a brake pedal and a throttle pedal, and that's what decides the lap time.”

The problem, as Verstappen describes it, starts before the racing gets going. He said the start-up procedure can take four or five seconds. Software running in the background can prevent a car from pulling away, or there can be a glitch, he said; even on slow laps, problems can arise.

His objection extends to what drivers must manage during a lap. Verstappen said a driver should be able to lift after crossing the line without worrying about charging the battery or its state of charge. During an overtake, the battery also needs to be in the right place, he said; drivers should not have to lift or downshift just to improve deployment.

The current power-unit regulations scrapped the MGU-H and raised MGU-K output to 350 kW, producing a near-even split between combustion and electrical power. The change was designed to attract new manufacturers and boost road relevance, but it has also forced drivers to conserve energy by lifting, downshifting on straights and managing battery deployment.

The FIA and power-unit manufacturers have already adjusted deployment and boost parameters mid-season after driver feedback and simulator work flagged dramatic closing speeds and cars slowing abruptly on full-throttle straights. Further phased adjustments have been agreed over the next two seasons, with a 60-40 split in 2028 intended to shift power units back towards the combustion engine.