Verstappen: 2026 F1 cars more comfortable, but sometimes harder to drive

Asked about the physical demands of the new generation of F1 cars, Max Verstappen gives a nuanced answer. According to RacingNews365, the Red Bull driver said in Baku that the cars generally feel more comfortable, but at certain moments are actually harder to keep under control. Jan van der Burgt describes his experiences in an article dated 23 September. [1]

Verstappen notices a difference from 2025 particularly on the straights. Whereas he says the car was constantly hitting the ground hard last year, he describes the current sensation as more like floating. In his experience, that generally makes driving a little more relaxed.

That does not mean the effort has disappeared. Verstappen says his level of fatigue varies and that the current cars are sometimes quite difficult to drive. Drivers still sweat, he emphasises, and keeping the car on the track is sometimes harder. [1]

The distinction, then, is between comfort and keeping the car under control. His more positive assessment of the former is not a general statement that the cars are also easier to drive. Conversely, those difficult moments do not mean he finds the new generation more physically demanding across the board.