Max Verstappen holds his face in the media pen in Canada.Max Verstappen has warned that the F1 2027 season will be “mentally not doable”, if proposed power unit changes do not get approved. An agreement in principle was reached to adjust the power delivery in next season’s cars, moving to a 60-40 split in favour of internal combustion over electrical elements. Max Verstappen issues fresh warning over Formula 1 future Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust. Verstappen has been one of the most vocal critics of the 2026 regulations, most notably when it comes to the power units and the energy management requirements involved. The Red Bull driver has explored his racing away from Formula 1 by taking part in GT3 activities of late, though had calmed questions over his future by stating the proposed rule tweaks would help keep him in Formula 1. However, with the tweaks only an agreement in principle at this stage, which still need to be voted through, there is no guarantee yet that the changes he wants to see will come to fruition next season. Red Bull and Mercedes are understood to support the proposed hardware changes for 2027, others are believed to want these adjustments put in place for 2028. With agreement needed from across different Formula 1 shareholders to push these adjustments through for next season, Verstappen admitted “it’s a shame” that behind-the-scenes politics are a part of the sport, but that “it’s simply like that” as a sport. Speaking after qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix, the four-time world champion was asked for his thoughts on the proposed changes and how he would react if they did not go through as hoped for 2027, to which he replied: “Well, if it stays like this, it’s going to be a long year next year, which I don’t want. “I can tell you, if it stays like this, it’s just mentally not doable.” Asked outright if he would take a sabbatical next season or depart the sport if the proposed changes are not voted through, he took a breath and replied: “There’s a lot of other fun things out there. “Let’s stay on the positive side. We’re still, I think, looking towards making those changes, and of course, some people that at the moment maybe have a bit of an advantage will try to be difficult about it, but if the FIA is strong, and also from the FOM side, they just need to do it. “It would be better for the sport as a whole.” More about the F1 2026 power unit rules Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull through to the end of 2028 season, having signed a seven-year contract in the days following his first championship win in 2021. Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists. You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
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