Max Verstappen back on F1 podium in Canada but continues rant against new rules: 'Anti-driving, anti-racing'

Max Verstappen returned to the Formula One podium for the first time this season on Sunday but the Red Bull driver, third ​in Canada, left no doubt about his unhappiness with new rules ‌he considers to be anti-racing.

The four times world champion, 28, had said on Saturday it would not be "mentally doable" for him to continue beyond this season if the ​sport backtracked on agreed rule changes for 2027.

The latest hybrid ​power units are now split roughly 50-50 between combustion power and ⁠electric but the changes would make that more like 60-40, allowing ​for more flat-out racing and less energy management.

Verstappen: 'Don't want to be negative but...'

Verstappen, who has been one of ​the foremost critics of the existing rules, told Sky Sports television that the tweak would be "the very minimum" acceptable.

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"The thing is of course I know how pure other ​motorsports can feel like," said the Dutch driver, who competed in the Nuerburgring ​24 Hours endurance race in between races in Miami and Canada.

"So then when you ‌come ⁠back to this, it's just not very nice.

"I don't want to be too negative now after a race like this but I know what it feels like to drive pure racing cars and pure overtakes, pure racing ​and just natural ​driving. This is ⁠all, especially qualifying, very anti-driving, anti-racing.

"And that's not what Formula One should be about."

Verstappen said a 60-40 split would ​naturally help the situation.

On Thursday he had told reporters ​the agreed ⁠60-40 changes would boost his chances of staying in the sport.

"I always wanted to continue anyway, but I always wanted to see change. And I ⁠think ​the change that's coming now is definitely very, ​very positive — or at least, almost back to normal," he said then, before reports of ​some manufacturers having doubts.