F1 News Today: Max Verstappen threatens to quit as Red Bull fear they are only fourth fastest

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Bahrain, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News Today

F1 News Today: Max Verstappen threatens to quit as Red Bull fear they are only fourth fastest

The day's biggest F1 news!

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Sunday 15 February 2026 14:35

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Max Verstappen has hinted to F1 fans that they might see him enjoying a brat summer sooner rather than later.

That is, a bratwurst summer! The Dutchman is toying once again with the idea of ditching F1, but insisted this week that he'd continue racing even so – just 'somewhere else', with a barbecue and a party tent.

Verstappen has made no secret of his dislike of the effect the new 2026 regulations have had on the new batch of cars, complaining at this week's testing in Bahrain and dropping hints once again that his future may lie outside F1 sooner than many truly expect.

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Formula E chief invites Max Verstappen to ditch F1

Formula E boss Jeff Dodds has revealed that he sent Max Verstappen a note inviting him to jump in an electric race car this week.

The Dutchman has been outspoken about the new F1 regulations this week, specifically the fact that the new power units require a lot of lifting and energy management, claiming it 'feels a bit more like Formula E on steroids'.

Dodds told SoyMotor on Friday that he'd extended an invitation for Verstappen to hop over from Bahrain to Jeddah after he was done with his F1 testing, explaining later to the Express the details of the 'tongue-in-cheek' offer.

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Red Bull fear they are only FOURTH fastest F1 team

Red Bull F1 chief Pierre Wache has sent a dire warning to Max Verstappen fans hoping for title number five this year.

Verstappen has been critical of the 2026 F1 regulations this week after putting in some good mileage in Bahrain, while also admitting that he doesn't believe Red Bull have the firepower of some of their rivals.

Wache has broadly aligned himself with the latter view at least, ranking the energy drink goliath just fourth on the grid on his initial impressions from three days of tests this week.

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The radical Mercedes car concept which ruined F1 title chances

F1 2026 pre-season testing is well underway, with the first three-day testing event in Bahrain having concluded as all of the teams performed pretty well reliability-wise.

But as with every season, there are certain teams who have caught the eye simply for their 'radical' car designs this week, including Audi with their massive sidepods compared to their rivals, and Adrian Newey's AMR26 design.

These teams may be the talk of the paddock, but they don't need to be reminded that radical and different is not always good.

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Norris claps back at Verstappen in F1 regulations row

Reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris has told four-time world champ Max Verstappen that 'he can retire if he wants to retire'.

Norris spectacularly beat Verstappen to the title by just two points in 2025, with the title race going down to the final grand prix weekend of the season.

That came 12 months on from Verstappen comprehensively beating Norris to the title in 2024, and the pair have been involved in many on-track scuffles over the last couple of years.

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Brundle defends new F1 regulations with 'melting turbos' claim

F1 broadcasting legend Martin Brundle has defended the new regulations that have swept into the sport in 2026.

Brundle is once again set to be a part of Sky Sports F1's coverage as F1 enters its new era, with wholesale regulation changes both on the chassis side of things, and when it comes to the power units.

The 2026 power units will remain a 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid, but they have had their electrical energy tripled, meaning there is now an almost 50-50 split between electrical power, and power from the internal combustion engine.

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Written by

Matthew Hobkinson - Lead Editor

After four years working for a Lloyd's of London insurance syndicate, lockdown gave Matt the chance to chase a career in sports journalism - he hasn't looked back. Matt has found a home here at GPFans where he can showcase the weird and wonderful world of F1 to the millions of fans around the world who are just as passionate as he is about the best sport in the world.

View full biography

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