F1 2026: Japanese Grand Prix gets epic Mario Kart transformation after Max Verstappen complaints

Verstappen looking unimpressed in Red Bull cap and jacket looking on at a Mario Kart World background — Photo: © IMAGO

Japanese Grand Prix

Japanese Grand Prix gets epic Mario Kart transformation after Max Verstappen complaints

F1's new regulations have triggered a popular comparison

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Thursday 19 March 2026 10:56

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F1's upcoming Japanese Grand Prix has been given an insane Mario Kart makeover after the controversial 2026 regulations led stars of the sport to draw frequent comparisons to the kart racing video games.

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc are just two drivers on the 2026 grid who have adopted the analogy of Mario Kart to explain their feelings over the controversial new energy deployment rules in F1, although they have done so in severely contrasting ways.

Leclerc seemed to enjoy the new boost element of F1, taking to Ferrari team radio in Melbourne at the start of the month to say: "This is like the mushroom in Mario Kart."

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But Verstappen on the other hand was not best pleased after suffering his first DNF of the so far disappointing year in Shanghai last weekend, telling media: "If someone likes this... then you really don't know what racing is like.

"Not fun at all. Playing Mario Kart. This is not racing. Boosting past, then you run out of battery, the next straight they boost past you again. For me, it's just a joke."

The Dutchman may be against the new power unit rules but for some, the thought of a Mario Kart and F1 crossover is a dream collaboration, and one that French TV channel Canal+ have now turned into a reality.

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Why is F1 2026 being compared to Mario Kart?

An edit made by French F1 broadcaster Canal+ has gone viral on social media ahead of the Japanese GP, making light of Verstappen's Mario Kart criticism by promoting the race in Suzuka in the style of a Mario Kart race.

The video was both nostalgic and hilarious and adopted the style of a Mario Kart grand prix introduction, before showing clips of some of this year's highs and lows from across the opening two race weekends.

Verstappen himself featured in the promo with a flying pineapple sending him spinning off the track in an ode to the pesky bananas that can be used in Mario Kart to unsettle your opponents.

Ferrari also featured in the promo, with the Mario Kart item box used to explain the Scuderia's lightning fast race starts that have been on show thanks to Leclerc and his team-mate Lewis Hamilton so far this season.

Canal+ are not the first to take to social media to share their gaming-inspired edits of the opening rounds of the championship, with a fan edit of last weekend's Chinese GP having also proved popular after the chaotic Shanghai sprint weekend.

Though the drivers are divided over the new power unit and energy deployment rules, Mario Kart is in some ways a helpful comparison to make for fans who are struggling to get their head around the new regulations.

With the focus on electrical energy having been tripled for 2026 and the use of DRS having been scrapped altogether, there are a plethora of new terms for fans and drivers to get to grips with.

But it is the introduction of the boost button and overtake mode that have drawn comparisons to Mario Kart, so if you're still not sure what these terms mean, click here to read our in depth explainer, new for 2026.

When is the next F1 race?

After a fast turnaround between the 2026 season opener and the second round, fans and drivers can breathe easy for a moment given that there is now a week off until the third race weekend of the championship.

The next grand prix is not until Sunday, March 29 in Suzuka as the Japanese Grand Prix returns before a long break in April following confirmation from F1 that both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs have been cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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Max Verstappen 2026 regulations Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka