Max, the amazing super star, has boldly declared his retirement following the next season in 2026. The announcement was made on

Max, the amazing super star, has boldly declared his retirement following the next season in 2026. The announcement was made on

Christian Horner, the CEO of Red Bull, feels that the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 regulations will negatively impact the series’ convergent field, stating that the new regulations will “smash it all up.”

A year after the most biased Formula One championship race in history in 2023, the field is closer than ever in qualifying, with only tenths separating the top teams, and Max Verstappan

sharing victories with Carlos Saint, Charles Leveler, and Landon Norris—the latter of whom has frequently forced Verstappan to the final lap. The field may become more competitive than ever in the final year of the current rule cycle,

which at the time was one of the largest modifications to Formula 1 regulations in decades, before a new generation of F1 vehicles is introduced in 2026.

A few of the drastic changes that Formula 1 will experience in 2026 include reduced dimensions, movable aerodynamics, and 50/50 power split

hybrid engines. Horner is concerned that these changes would eliminate the sport’ existing close competition.

“We’re having an amazing year, if you ignore 2023,” Horner declared following the Spanish Grand Prix this past weekend. 2023 was a unicorn, but this is

natural for Formula 1; there will always be competition, strong teams, and drivers, as well as steady rules, which have the benefit of always causing things to converge. “I will never forget what

Ron Dennis told me in a Commission meeting when I first entered Formula 1: ‘If you want close racing, leave it alone, just leave it alone, and everything

converges.'” “And that’s exactly what we’re witnessing right now—everything is coming together, and by 2026, we’re going to blow it all away.”

We’re having to fight really hard for the wins at the moment, we’re having to be on the top of our game as a team, and the drivers have to be at the top of their game as well.

“That’s Formula 1, that’s as it should be.”

Horner isn’t alone in his fears (which will more than likely come to fruition) that the 2026 regulations will split apart the competitive order.

McLaren’s Norris, the greatest benefactor to the converging field having beaten Verstappan in Miami and run him close at , Montreal and Barcelona, spoke at the Canadian GP.

After Verstappan and George Russell set an identical time in qualifying at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Norris warned, “You’re not going to have days like today again.

“Red Bull had their time, and now it seems like we’ve been able to catch up.

“So just as we’re getting there, and I think probably looking ahead to next year already, next year should be an exciting year for everyone, just from first to last.

“I think it’s going to be exciting. But then that’s all going to go in ‘26.”