Racing
© Morio
Max Verstappen says Formula 1’s planned 2027 engine changes have made him more likely to stay on the grid next season, with the Red Bull driver backing the FIA’s move away from the unpopular near-50/50 split between combustion and electric power.
Speaking on Thursday at the Canadian Grand Prix, Verstappen said the proposal is “definitely heading into a very positive direction” and called it “the minimum I was hoping for.” The intended shift toward roughly a 60/40 balance in favor of the V6, through higher fuel flow and reduced electrical output, is “definitely what I think also the sport needs,” he said.
That is a significant change in tone after months in which Verstappen openly questioned his immediate future in F1. Earlier this season, including after the Japanese Grand Prix in March, he made clear he was struggling to enjoy the current rules package, criticizing the way drivers have to manage battery charge and saying the issue was the quality of the product rather than whether he had a competitive car.
Asked in Montreal if the proposed changes increased the chances of him racing next year, Verstappen answered: “Yeah, definitely. I just want a good product in Formula 1 and that will for sure improve the product.” He added that the changes would help “a lot” and said: “It will make the product better, so that means that I'm happier and that's what I want to be able to continue in Formula 1.”
Verstappen stopped short of giving an unconditional commitment, but his position was clear. He said he had “always wanted to continue anyway” while also wanting to see change, and described the current direction as “very, very positive” and “almost back to normal.”
The remaining issue is that the package is still not done. After Miami, the FIA said there was an agreement in principle on broader revisions for 2027, but the detailed measures still need to be finalized. Verstappen acknowledged that uncertainty, saying: “That's why we have to wait and see until it's fully confirmed. But that definitely needs to happen.”
That caution reflects the politics still surrounding the discussion. Some manufacturers are unlikely to welcome a rollback from the original concept after investing heavily in the current formula, especially if they believe the existing balance could offer a competitive advantage.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz, speaking on Thursday as Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director, backed the same direction and said the 2027 proposal is exactly what he believes F1 should do. But Sainz also warned that “there will be politics involved and different interests involved across the main manufacturers,” leaving Verstappen’s future tied not just to the FIA’s intent, but to whether the sport can turn that intent into a final rule.