Amid speculation that Max Verstappen is considering his Formula 1 future, George Russell has gone all-in, suggesting the Dutchman is only complaining because he’s not in the fastest car. 

It’s no secret that the FIA has botched the sport’s 2026 regulations. Four time Formula 1 World Champion, Verstappen has been one of its most vocal critics, calling out the sport's overreliance on electric power and the fake nature of overtaking.

To a certain extent, these criticisms have been taken onboard. While teams take an enforced five-week break, reforms are now being weighed up to tackle some of these issues. More of a quick fix rather than a long-term solution, it’s thought the changes will be designed to reduce lift and coast and allow for full-push qualifying again. 

However, at a time when drivers should be sticking together to bring F1 back from the brink, Russell has taken the opportunity to stick the boot in. Likening Red Bull’s problems to those suffered by others in the last big regulation shake-up, he basically told Verstappen to get a grip. 

Russell said: "Formula 1 is bigger than any driver, so you wouldn't want to lose Max, because I think we all enjoy racing against him. But it's just part and parcel of F1. I didn't enjoy driving the 2022 car when it was porpoising up and down, you know, killing everybody's backs. 

“The car was big, it was heavy… the high-speed corners. It wasn't very pleasant to drive around. But he didn't have the same complaint because he was winning. 

“Now, the complaints that he has currently are different from the complaints of Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, because we're at the front end of the grid, and this is only natural.”

Russell: If I had four titles, I’d do the same

Verstappen might be a four-time champion, but he’s never afraid to speak his mind. To play devil’s advocate with Russell’s comments, it’s not like he was ever quiet about the last set of rule changes either. Even in Abu Dhabi last year, the Dutchman bemoaned the size and ride height of his championship-winning cars. 

This year, Verstappen is so disgruntled that he’s considering quitting altogether. He’s already cast doubt on his F1 future in multiple interviews. Competing in other race series has only fanned the flames, as he clearly enjoys racing in other series better—and he may even be weighing up where to move. 

Asked about Verstappen’s entry to the 24 Hours of Nordschleife, Russell said that he’s in a “different stage of his career,” and he would “probably do the same” if he had the same number of world championships. 

Russell added: “He's achieved what most drivers dream of, which, you know, is winning a championship. He's got four of them. At the end of the day, I guess you get to a point in life where there's not really much more for him to achieve in Formula 1.

“At one point, you want to do what puts a smile on your face. I can totally understand why driving the Nordschleife puts a smile on his face.

“You know, I've driven hundreds of laps around the Nordschleife on the simulator, and I would love to have that chance. But my goal now is to become a Formula 1 world champion.”

Will Verstappen stay if Red Bull improve?

There’s no getting around it. Russell is rubbing salt in the wounds, but Red Bull are in a full-blown crisis. Key figures Christian Horner and Helmut Marko got the boot last year. They’ve got the new regulations completely wrong—and we’re talking about the chassis here; no one's blaming Ford. And now Verstappen’s running mate Gianpiero Lambiase is off to McLaren. 

Verstappen may be right about the regulations, but Red Bull’s form certainly isn’t helping. Can they turn things around? With the Bahrain and Saudi Grand Prix cancelled, the team has had the opportunity to take stock. Like everyone else, they’ll bring updates to Miami that could fix major issues. The FIA’s ongoing discussions are also likely to yield imminent rule changes.

Though we’re not going to see any major overhaul—Stefano Domenicali has made this crystal clear—reforms could improve the overall show. “Low-hanging fruit” is said to include changing recharge rates to reduce dull and dangerous lifting and coasting. 

But is this really what Verstappen (or true fans) want to see? F1 has committed itself to a path of electric energy-dependent overtaking. Even if you fix all the current battery issues, it’s still not Formula 1. And when Max makes a final decision on his future, the FIA's giant sticking plaster may not be enough to convince him to stay.