F1 chiefs take action to quell furious driver ‘rebellion’ after Max Verstappen demand

Max Verstappen took a fresh swipe at the sport’s unpopular new regulations after the Australian Grand Prix by comparing Formula One to Mario Kart

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The new F1 season has begun but some drivers are not happy(Image: (James Sutton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images))

Formula 1 chiefs are planning peace talks with drivers aimed at quelling a rebellion after Max Verstappen took a fresh swipe at the sport’s unpopular new regulations. Following Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen became the latest driver to take aim at the rules as he compared F1 to Mario Kart.

The biggest changes to the sport’s regulations in generations – including a boost button to overtake – have split the paddock. And according to PA, F1 chiefs will hold talks with drivers before this week’s second race in China.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA single-seater chief Nikolas Tombazis are also due to canvas feedback from the grid’s 11 team principals in Shanghai. While PA are also reporting that F1 executives have already spoken to the four-time world champion to address his concerns.

Speaking after Sunday’s curtain raiser in Melbourne, which was won by British driver George Russell, Verstappen said: “If you enjoy that, then okay, but that’s what I do at home when I play Mario Kart. For me, I didn’t enjoy the way we raced. It is not really proper.”

Verstappen had also earlier said: “I love racing, but you can only take so much. I think F1 and the FIA are willing to listen, but I hope there is some action.

“It is not that I am the only one saying it. We are not critical just to be critical. We are critical for a reason. We want it to be Formula 1 – proper Formula 1 on steroids – but today that wasn’t the case.”

Meanwhile, Lando Norris warned that the new overtaking format would prove highly dangerous to drivers, owing to the speed differential between cars slowing to conserve power and those using a boost.

“It is chaos, and we are going to have a big accident,” he said. “We are driving and just waiting for something to go quite horribly wrong, and that is not a nice position to be in.

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Lando Norris(Image: (Marcel van Dorst / EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto via Getty Images))

“Depending on what drivers do, you can have closing speeds of 30, 40, 50kph, and when someone hits another driver at that speed, you are going to fly and go over the fence and do a lot of damage to yourself and maybe to others and that is a pretty horrible thing to think about.”

While Russell remarked: “They are further down the line with 20 cars ahead of you.

“It may seem different, but from my position I thought it was great. I thought the race was really fun – with lots of battling – and the car was really fun to drive. It was awesome.”

PA are also reporting that decision on next month’s races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia could be put on hold until after the Chinese Grand Prix.