Verstappen questions whether current F1 cars suit any circuit

Max Verstappen has questioned whether Formula 1’s current cars suit Portimão – or any circuit – as F1 prepares to return to Portugal in 2027. RacingNews365 Nederland reported the Red Bull driver’s remarks on 2 October, citing the P1 with Matt & Tommy podcast.

Verstappen said he was looking forward to racing in the Algarve. He described Portimão as a beautiful circuit for a single lap, while saying racing there could be difficult. Asked whether the current cars suited the track, he replied that they did not really suit any circuit and that drivers tried to make the best of them.

His criticism went beyond Portimão. Pointing to Monza, Verstappen said battery use had changed the racing: a driver could make a pass, then be overtaken again on the next straight. He described it as yo-yo racing and argued that a high number of passes did not necessarily make for meaningful overtaking.

Verstappen said he hoped the balance would shift towards slightly more combustion-engine power and less battery power in the coming years, though he acknowledged that would be difficult.