The four-time world champion said lighter, smaller cars would improve racing, noting that the current generation of F1 cars has grown considerably, making overtaking more difficult.

“What is most important is lighter cars, smaller cars,” Verstappen said. “But you can only really do that if you change the engine regulations.

“At the moment, the engines are super-efficient, but they are also quite big.

“That makes the car longer, you need more cooling, so the car becomes quite big.

“I think if we can get a similar type of car like they were in the 2010 era, or even before, that would be nice, because I think it will help the racing.

“But at the end of the day, I’m not the one deciding.”

The 2026 season will bring a major overhaul of chassis and power unit rules, including smaller cars, active aerodynamics and a 50/50 combustion-electric split.

Red Bull faces the additional challenge of debuting its own in-house power unit after years of sourcing engines from Honda, adding uncertainty over how the team will perform under the new rules.

Verstappen, however, refused to set expectations for Red Bull in 2026, pointing to the number of unknowns as teams adapt to the regulations.

“It’s a big question mark, but honestly I think there are not many people that can say right now, ‘yes, we are going to be really, really good’,” he said.

“You don’t have any guarantees. I know it’s a big challenge what we are doing, with also bringing our own engine, but it’s also quite an exciting challenge.

“It also gives us the best opportunity of being competitive instead of being dependent on another car manufacturer that is willing to give us an engine.”

He added that the first races under the new rules will be crucial for all teams.

“The regulations are so complex that, of course, the engine is going to be super important, but you also need to make sure that you build a good car.

“I think the first few races will be very challenging for everyone to integrate everything very well, from the power unit to the car and the behaviour in general, so hopefully it can give you some interesting races.”

Verstappen currently sits a distant third in the drivers’ championship, behind the leading McLaren pair, with his tally of three wins his lowest in a single F1 season since 2020.