Max Verstappen shares his insight on how racing in the wet could be improved

Max Verstappen has lamented the decline of wet-weather racing in F1, citing both technical and regulatory hurdles that prevent proper racing in such conditions. Speaking to the media, including Sportskeeda in Hungary, the Dutchman reflected on recent wet races and highlighted key safety concerns affecting visibility.

After the race in Belgium, Max Verstappen felt that the stewards took too long to restart the race. The event began behind the safety car and was eventually red-flagged due to poor visibility. The Dutchman was vocal about the current rules and their impact on wet-weather racing. In Silverstone, the full wet conditions led to multiple drivers complaining about visibility issues.

Verstappen believes that the spray from the current cars makes visibility extremely poor, with the tyres and diffuser designs contributing to the problem. He suggested that not much can be done to improve this with the current generation of cars. He also pointed out that in low visibility, drivers tend not to lift off the throttle, creating a domino effect across the grid and increasing the risk of accidents.

While he acknowledged the safety reasons, Max Verstappen felt that the decisions made at Spa denied drivers a proper race in the rain. He believes that drivers should be trusted to take responsibility for their safety and that this should not come at the cost of good wet-weather racing.

Asked by Sportskeeda what can be done to improve wet racing on this year’s car or next year’s cars, Max Verstappen said:

“Well, this year's car there is not much that you can do now, I mean it generates so much of a cloud from the diffuser already. It has a lot more spray than the older cars, for example, also with these big tires, there's a lot more water coming off them. So yeah, I said it after Spa, Silverstone was probably on the edge, taking a little bit safer but then this for me was too safe. On the other hand, when there's a lot of spray and you can't see a lot, you can also lift. You can also make a bigger gap if you're not sure where you're going. This is something that most of the time when you have big accidents is when people are not lifting when most of the time when you have big accidents is when people are not lifting when they can't really see, and they keep it quick, basically and front of them or behind them do that as well. But yeah, it's complicated.”

“Some drivers will say the opposite to what I say. And that's fine, everyone has their own opinion. I just look at it as a proper race because I think Spa could have been a fantastic race. It's like we all look back at it in the past from long, you know, you have these like great wet races. I feel like it's very rare that we get these kind of races nowadays. And of course, I understand safety, but sometimes also as a driver, you know, it's in your hands if you can keep it safe a lot. And if you can only keep it safe in almost dry conditions, then that's something that we have to look at.”

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Max Verstappen clarifies the speculation surrounding the Sardinia holiday with Toto Wolff

Max Verstappen reckons that speculation around his boat being in Sardinia alongside Toto Wolff’s was overblown. While he did not deny that the two yachts were at the same location, the Dutchman felt too much was made of the coincidence. He believes that he does not need to be driving for Mercedes to maintain a good relationship with their team principal. Verstappen felt that despite repeatedly denying the rumours, the speculation continued to be fuelled unnecessarily.

Asked by Sky Sports F1 how close his boat was to Wolff’s in Sardinia, Max Verstappen said:

“People are waffling so much throughout the whole season, while the only one that actually can or should speak is not speaking - that's me. And I do that on purpose, because it makes no sense to start throwing things around. And actually, that should be the same for everyone. Some people just like to stir the pot. Some people just like to create drama. But for me, it's always been quite clear. For next year, I'm already discussing with the team the plans and things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I'm also staying with the team for next year."

"And, yeah, if my boat is next to Toto's, then the boat is next to Toto’s. You can have a personal relationship with someone, even if you don't have a working relationship with someone.”

While there has been excessive speculation about Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull for Mercedes, the Dutchman’s ambiguous responses when asked directly about his future only fuelled the narrative. Before Christian Horner departed from the team, Max Verstappen had offered vague replies about his long-term plans. As it stands, the four-time world champion has now confirmed that he will remain with Red Bull for 2026, putting the rumours to rest for now. However, speculation will likely return in 2026 as questions resurface about his future beyond that season.

With new chassis and engine regulations being introduced in 2026, the wiser approach appears to be waiting a year to evaluate the performance landscape. In Verstappen’s case, it seems 2026 will serve as a transitional season to assess the pecking order before deciding whether to move or continue with Red Bull.