Max Verstappen has proposed invoking safety as a realistic way to force mid-season changes to the 2026 Formula 1 regulations. He says the current hybrid and energy rules create hazardous speed gaps and even near-catastrophic incidents. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto were caught in a large speed difference that ended with a 50G impact. Verstappen says episodes like that show how the rules are shaping behavior and outcomes on track, not racing skill.
He has set out where he sees the problem. The new package leans on battery recuperation and strict energy limits. He describes effects he calls super wrapping and super clipping, where cars vary their power delivery as they harvest or deploy energy. He argues this changes how races unfold and pushes drivers into unnatural choices. He says some are coasting or lifting on straights to hit energy targets, while others arrive at full speed. That mismatch, he argues, opens the door to big closing speeds and sudden slowdowns in places where drivers expect consistent pace.
The incident in Japan is his main example. Bearman and Colapinto found themselves on very different energy states and speeds. The result was a heavy impact measured at 50G. Verstappen points to that as proof that the current framework can create a trap. He says drivers are managing dashboards and batteries as much as they are racing the car in front. He believes this undermines what he calls real racing and raises the chance of misjudgment when one car is conserving and the other is not.
Verstappen says the fix is clear and allowed within the rules. If something is unsafe, it can be changed. He argues safety is a valid reason for the FIA or other authorities to step in during the season. That could mean altering circuit layouts, changing the number of SLM sections, or even revising retirement rules so drivers are not tempted to limp on with unstable energy states. He cites the 1994 airbox precedent, when Formula 1 moved to change car specifications during the season on safety grounds. For him, that history shows the sport can act fast when risks appear on track.
He says the goal is not to add complexity, but to remove incentives that generate big speed swings. Cutting back the moments when cars harvest energy at high speed is one path he mentions. Another is to rebalance how much power comes from the engine versus the battery so drivers can stay flat more often without tripping energy limits. He frames these as practical steps that would reduce closing speeds and keep battles predictable for those in the cockpit.
Verstappen also accepts the political reality around any in-season change. Teams would need to agree. He expects debate in the paddock and says views already vary. Some see the 2026 plan as a necessary evolution. Others share the worry about how energy windows create odd racing lines and uneven pace on straights. He says the safety argument gives all sides a common test: if data shows a hazard, then change it.
Jos Verstappen has echoed the mood from the driver camp. He says the new rules push drivers to focus on energy management over flat-out racing. He also says Max has not enjoyed the new cars under this approach. That view tracks with the on-track patterns this season, where lift-and-coast stretches and aggressive battery swings have been more visible to fans and rivals.
For Max Verstappen, the priority is to act before another high-G incident. He argues that using safety as the lever provides a clear, rule-backed path to adjust the 2026 framework now, rather than waiting for the winter. He wants the cars and the rules to let drivers race at steady, predictable speeds without energy traps that can lead to another heavy hit.