Overview
- Ralf Schumacher says Red Bull should replace Helmut Marko’s steadying role to curb Max Verstappen’s public attacks on the 2026 format and improve communication.
- Nelson Piquet Jr. contends Verstappen would be “quiet as a mouse” if he were winning in a Mercedes, casting his criticism as tied to Red Bull’s current lack of competitiveness.
- Verstappen’s early results — sixth in Australia and an ERS‑related retirement in China — reflect reliability and pace issues with Red Bull’s first in‑house power unit.
- Seeking “fun,” Verstappen is competing in GT3 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, underscoring his displeasure with F1’s new energy‑management‑focused racing.
- Formula E co‑founder Alberto Longo warns F1 to “look into” widespread driver discontent led by Verstappen, cautioning that alienating top stars is a risk.