Max Verstappen's frustration with the new Formula One regulations goes on, though he insists he does not want to leave the sport ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.

F1 underwent some of its biggest regulation changes ahead of the 2026 season, and Verstappen struggled in the first race of the year last time out in Melbourne.

While George Russell triumphed in a Mercedes one-two, Verstappen crashed out of the first qualifying session, needing x-rays to clear him for the race, in which he ultimately finished sixth, having started at the back of the grid.

The Dutchman has previously described the new rules as "anti-racing", with the energy management of the new engines causing problems across the grid, while he also quipped that he had "swapped the simulator for my Nintendo Switch and, yeah, practising a bit of Mario Kart".

Verstappen insisted he will continue to compete in F1, as he hopes to stay competitive.

"I don't want to leave, really. I wish I had a bit more fun for sure, but I'm also doing other stuff that is a lot of fun," he said.

"I get to race the [Nurburgring] Nordschleife. [I] hope in the coming years I can do Spa, hopefully Le Mans. So, I'm combining stuff to find other stuff that I find really fun as well.

"It's a bit conflicting because I don't really enjoy driving the car, but I do enjoy working with all the people in the team and from the engine department as well.

"I don't want to leave [F1], but I also hope, of course, it gets better. I have had discussions with F1 and the [governing body] FIA, and we are working towards something that will hopefully improve everything."

Media day Max #F1 || #ChineseGP  pic.twitter.com/Ry4OlR7ctM

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 12, 2026

The first sprint race of the season will also take place in Shanghai, with Mercedes once again expected to dominate, with Ferrari also in the mix at the top.

Mercedes and Ferrari took up the top four places at the Australian Grand Prix, and Charles Leclerc is enjoying the battle he is having with Russell, who is the early favourite for the world title.

"I was positively surprised by the battles I had with George," Leclerc said. "I enjoyed this battle quite a lot more than I had thought before the race.

"The cons are known, and there's no point for me to go over and over, but for sure in qualifying, it is less enjoyable. You have more clipping, and it is a bit of a different feeling, but the racing, I kind of enjoyed that strategic approach you had to think of when I was racing against George."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

George Russell – Mercedes

Russell has appeared in 153 Grand Prix races in his F1 career, all without interruption.

He has finished each of the last 35 he has contested in the competition, which is the current best run and the fourth longest in history, surpassing Daniel Ricciardo's streak of 34 between Styria 2020 and Mexico City 2021.

Russell has also been on the podium 25 times, and he has the opportunity to secure two consecutive podiums for the fifth time. He has never won back-to-back races in F1.

Oscar Piastri – McLaren

Oscar Piastri has won nine times in F1, seven of them in 2025.

If he manages to climb to the top of the podium once again, he will become the third Australian driver to achieve 10 victories in the competition after Jack Brabham (14) and Alan Jones (12).

Piastri took pole position and victory at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, becoming only the second driver after Lewis Hamilton to take pole and victory in two consecutive editions of this Grand Prix: two in 2014 and 2015 (he is the only one to have repeated victory).

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 25

2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 18

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 15

4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 12

5. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 10

Constructors'

1. Mercedes – 43

2. Ferrari – 27

3. McLaren – 10

4. Red Bull – 8

5. Haas – 6