F1 needs Max Verstappen to give rival drivers 'sleepless nights'

Max Verstappen

F1 needs Max Verstappen to give rival drivers 'sleepless nights'

Mark Webber says F1 needs Max Verstappen on the grid

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Saturday 9 May 2026 20:57

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Mark Webber has warned F1 that the sport needs Max Verstappen to remain on the grid, claiming the Red Bull star gives rival drivers 'sleepless nights'.

Verstappen's future has been one of the biggest talking points in F1 this year, with the four-time world champion making no secret of his frustration with the sport's new regulations.

The Dutchman has repeatedly questioned the direction F1 has taken, while Red Bull's own performance has also come under scrutiny despite signs of improvement at the Miami Grand Prix.

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Former Red Bull driver Webber, however, believes the issue is bigger than Verstappen's own future or the team he currently drives for.

Speaking to RacingNews365, Webber argued that F1 as a whole should want Verstappen to stay because of the impact he has on the rest of the grid.

"Naturally, Red Bull would love Max to stay," he said. "That's incredibly easy to predict.

"Holistically, looking at the whole sport, when you've got someone like him, characters like Verstappen are what the sport needs. We need these people.

"People switch on the TV because of Max Verstappen, and Liberty know that. Teams know that. He's important."

Verstappen compared to tennis greats

Webber then compared Verstappen's impact on F1 to the way Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer pushed each other during their tennis rivalry.

The Australian believes Verstappen raises the level of those around him, regardless of whether they are fighting directly with the Red Bull star every weekend.

"Long and short, it's really important that we keep Max in the sport, because he's lifting every driver in the field, and that's what Formula 1 is about. You have to be continually lifted," Webber added.

"It's like Rafa [Nadal] and Roger [Federer]. If Rafa is not there, is Roger lifting, and vice versa. You need someone who is giving you those sleepless nights, and Verstappen has done that for a long period.

"Personally, if you talk about being neutral, and, of course, I'm biased to Oscar [referring to his management of McLaren driver Piastri], but if I'm neutral in terms of the sport, then I want Max to be in Formula 1, of course."

F1 Max Verstappen Mark Webber