Max Verstappen thinks that Formula 1 does not need any tricks to make the sport more exciting. The Dutchman believes that the field is naturally shifting more and that continuously adjusting the regulations is actually counterproductive. The Dutchman also shared his view on whether a rivalry between teammates can make Formula 1 sport more interesting.
Since the new regulations came into effect in 2022, no team has really consistently come close to the dominant Red Bull Racing. The Austrian racing team even managed to win 21 of the 22 Grands Prix in 2023, leading to increasing criticism that Formula 1 sport is a lot less interesting these days. Many critics are now coming up with proposals to make the sport exciting again, and a number of these ways were also presented to Verstappen.
For example, the Dutchman was asked whether a rivalry between two teammates could be good for Formula 1 sport, but the world champion answered negatively. “A battle between two teammates is fun, but I think it is even better if two or more teams really compete for victories,” Verstappen told the Dutch branch of Motorsport.com. “So I think it’s better to have all the good drivers in other cars.”
Verstappen: ‘Leave regulations the same’
Verstappen thinks that new methods and formats, such as the sprint weekend, are not necessary to make Formula 1 more exciting, but that the sport should be given the opportunity to become that again on its own. ‘The longer you leave the regulations the same, the closer it becomes. Everyone then understands in which direction they should develop,” says the Limburger.
The three-time world champion even thinks that with the current generation of cars it is easier to make the field more coherent. ‘(With the current cars, ed.) I feel that there is slightly less potential in terms of further development than the previous cars, back then with bargeboards and the like. That was very complicated. I think with these cars it’s a little easier and you can get closer faster.’ Verstappen even expects that the competition will be approaching in 2024, ‘but that is of course also our motivation to try to get as much out of it as possible again.’
