Max Verstappen Issues Strange Warning Ahead of Red Bull’s 2026 F1 Test

Max Verstappen has cast uncertainty over Red Bull's chances to succeed from the very beginning in the new regulations from 2026.

Max Verstappen Issues Strange Warning Ahead of Red Bull’s 2026 F1 Test

Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase (via Red Bull)

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The preparation for the 2026 season of Formula 1 is underway in a full-swing mode. The testing sessions for the new regulations will be very crucial as the teams and drivers will finally get a first-hand feeling of driving the new cars on track. While Red Bull’s recent resurgence means that the team might be a dominant factor with Max Verstappen in 2026, the latter casts doubts on his chances to dominate from the get-go.

The F1 field will fly to the Circuit Barcelona de Catalunya to participate in a private testing of cars from 26th January to 30th January. The test will be held behind closed doors, with no media being allowed to cover the events of the testing sessions. Though people in and around the circuit often leak images of the test session despite the privacy of the event.

Now, Max Verstappen has spoken about his and Red Bull’s chances and what their ambitions will be during the testing sessions leading up to the 2026 season. The Dutchman bluntly accepted that no one had any ideas on the new car and engines. The four-time champion continued that the teams would definitely spend more time in the garage tweaking the cars rather than gaining real-time data on-track.

Regardless, Formula 1 is known as the pinnacle of motorsport, and with that, the teams will quickly gain an understanding of the new regulations. After the initial test session, it is only a matter of time before the top-performing teams gain a good knowledge of the regulations. Max Verstappen believes that the teams will hopefully be wiser, leading to the subsequent testing sessions before the 2026 season fully begins.

None of us have any idea about the new car or the engine, I think that during the first tests in Barcelona starting on 26 January, we’ll be spending more time in the garages than out on the track. Hopefully, we’ll all be a bit wiser after the two tests in Bahrain in February.

Max Verstappen told Blick.

Max Verstappen claims ‘everyone in the dark’ with 2026 F1 regulations

The 2026 F1 regulations will finally see the exit of the Venturi wind tunnel effect, as many drivers breathe some air of relief. The ground-effect era proved to be difficult for many drivers, especially seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Now, with the new regulations hoping to improve racing on all sections of the track, Max Verstappen claims that none of the teams have even an iota of an idea about the quirks of the new cars.

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)

Max Verstappen highlighted that he had visited the factory multiple times over the winter break. Red Bull might be up for a massive challenge as they aim to develop their own power units in collaboration with Ford. As such, Verstappen noted that everyone was in the dark about the regulations, and no teams were seemingly the clear favorite to perform well on the track already.

Yes, I’ve been to the factory a few times, But as I said, everyone is still in the dark.

Max Verstappen noted.

The 2026 season will feature 11 teams on the grid with 22 drivers fighting for the ultimate goal of winning a race. The track will be action-packed and hopefully deliver better racing action. Max Verstappen will certainly be at the heart of it and continue to perform well despite all odds. For now, the four-time champion has a few days off track that he will spend closely with his girlfriend and kids.

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