Is Verstappen's threat to quit a lever to alter rules? - F1 Q&A

Image source, Image caption, Max Verstappen made his F1 debut as a 17-year-old in 2015 Published 26 minutes ago 56 Comments There were plenty of talking points from the Japanese Grand Prix, where Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli won to become the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history. Meanwhile, Red Bull's Max Verstappen told BBC Sport he is considering leaving the sport at the end of the season because he is unhappy with its new rules. After the race at Suzuka, F1 will have a five-week break because the conflict in the Middle East caused the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix . BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions. How much is Max Verstappen's threat to leave merely a lever to persuade F1 bosses to alter the rules more to his liking? - Dave It would be unwise to view Verstappen's remarks to BBC 5 Live pit-lane reporter Jennie Gow after the Japanese Grand Prix as primarily intended as leverage. Verstappen would like F1 to change the rules, but that is because he has a fundamental, almost primal, objection to what they have done to the cars. The Red Bull driver is talking from the heart. He has been saying similar things not just since the start of this season, but since he first tried the 2026 cars in the simulator a couple of years ago. He does not like the way the power tails off in the later part of straights as the electrical motor runs out of power and starts to regenerate energy. …