Talking points aplenty have emerged from the opening three rounds of the 2026 F1 season. Mercedes have delivered on their tag of pre-season favourites, with George Russell winning the season opener in Australia and Kimi Antonelli taking victory in China and Japan.
Ferrari have been giving the Silver Arrows a run for their money, with Lewis Hamilton finally securing his first podium for the iconic Italian team, while it’s been a tough start for worldchampion Lando Norris, who sits fifth in the standings. However, it’s Max Verstappen who has been grabbing most of the headlines following his repeated criticism of the sport’s new regulations.
The four-time world champion has made it clear he isn’t enjoying the changes, which require constant management of the car’s electrical energy, and that he is ready to quit. With the sport in the midst of a month-long hiatus following the cancellation of the Saudi Arabia and Bahrain Grands Prix, here’s a round-up of the latest F1 news…
Verstappen, who has described the current regulations as like “Formula E on steroids,” has been told to quit moaning or quit the sport. That message has come from another straight-talking F1 figure in Juan Pablo Montoya.
The Colombian, who raced for Williams and McLaren in the first half of the 2000s, told Casinostugan: “If you’re unhappy with being in Formula 1, you should leave. Have the courage of your convictions. If you’re unhappy with the rules, then talk to people instead of threatening that you’re going to leave.
If I were him, I’d shut up, deal with it and admit that he’s in a s**** car and admit he’s frustrated because his car is a piece of c*** that is 20 kilos over and it’s going to be uncompetitive all year. At the end of the day, nobody’s bigger than the sport.”