Toto Wolff believes Max Verstappen’s criticism of Formula 1’s new regulations is linked to the on-track difficulties the Red Bull driver is experiencing rather than a fundamental flaw in the latest generation of cars.
After retiring from the second grand prix of the new season in China, Verstappen ramped up his rhetoric, saying the new rules are “a joke” and that fans who like them “don’t understand racing.”
The Red Bull driver has been outwardly critical of this year’s new power unit regulations since they were first announced in 2023, and his position has only strengthened since the start of the new season.
Mercedes, meanwhile, has made a strong start to the season, finishing one-two at the first two grands prix as well as winning Saturday’s sprint race in Shanghai.
Wolff believes Verstappen’s dislike of the new cars is largely down to the difficulties Red Bull has had at the first two races, which have left the four-time champion eighth in the standings.
“Max is really, I think, in a horror show,” Wolff said. “When you look at the onboard that he has in qualifying yesterday, this is just horrendous to drive. You can see that.
“But it’s not the same with many other teams. I think from an entertainment perspective, I believe that what we’ve seen today between Ferrari and Mercedes was good racing. Many overtakes.
“We were all part of Formula 1 where there was no overtake, literally. Sometimes we’re too nostalgic about the good old years. But I think the product is good in itself.
“We saw quite some racing in the midfield also. And that is, I think, the positive. Now, from a driver’s standpoint, when it comes to the balls-out qualifying lap, that is different.
“Clearly, lifting costs in the qualifying. I’m sure for someone like Max, who is a full-attack guy, it’s difficult to cope and digest. But it’s more, I would say, a car-specific issue that magnifies the problem that it is.
“Because if you sit in front of a TV or in front of a screen, even Max would say that was interesting racing in the front.”
Verstappen’s criticism is mainly focused on the extra emphasis on electrical power under the new rules, which tends to reward the management of energy over driving the car to the limit of its grip.
New boost and overtake modes provide more opportunities to overtake rival cars in races, but come at the cost of depleting the battery, which can leave drivers powerless to defend positions.
Wolff admits the level of energy management in qualifying is not to his liking, but believes fans are enjoying the new style of racing.
“Yeah, qualifying flat-out would be nice,” he added. “But when you look at the fans and the excitement that is there, live, the cheering when there’s overtakes, and also on social media, the younger fans, the vast majority, through all the demographics, like the sport at the moment.
“So, yes, we can always look at how we’re improving it, but at the moment, all the indicators say and all the data say people love it. And I spoke with Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO], he says that too. So it is driving the car that, for some, is not most pleasant.”
