Max Verstappen admits the 2026 Formula 1 regulations will be around for a while

During off-season testing, the Red Bull driver was critical of ‌the more electrified engines, which put more onus on drivers to be tactical with energy deployment and regeneration, describing it as "Formula E on steroids" and "anti-racing".

Other drivers have also ​expressed concern in the lead-up to Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand ​Prix where they will contend with the changes under race ⁠conditions for the first time.

Williams' Carlos Sainz told reporters at Albert Park ​that the governing FIA needed to listen to driver feedback and be ​flexible to tweak the regulations from race to race.

Verstappen said it was a "bit late" for that. he added: "Everything, the amount of money that has been invested as well into ​these regulations, it will be around for a while. Suddenly, ​now things are raised, it's a bit late."

Verstappen, however, gave a glowing review of ‌Red ⁠Bull's RB22 car which will race with their own engine for the first time in Australia.

"I was really positively surprised with how basically everything felt," he said. "Also, the rule changes have been really complex for everyone, ​but in terms ​of the feeling ⁠in the car, the driving experience between the engine and the car was good."

Mercedes and Ferrari appeared to ​have the edge over rivals in winter testing, and ​Verstappen ⁠acknowledged that Red Bull was unlikely to be the fastest team.

He said: "Looking on the performance side of things, I think we want to be a little ⁠bit ​faster.

"And naturally, I think everyone ​always wants to be faster, but from the things we learned in Bahrain (testing), at least we're ​not the quickest," Verstappen concluded. (Reporting by Ian Ransom)