'Max Verstappen still has a shot at winning the 2026 F1 title'

Verstappen has also been heavily critical of the current generation of Formula 1 cars. He has repeatedly raised concerns about the current regulations, compared racing to Mario Kart, and warned F1 that if changes do not follow, this could have long-lasting consequences for the competition and the sport.

The Dutchman is also said he is thinking about his future in Formula 1: "Yeah, I don't get upset about it. I don't get disappointed or frustrated by it anymore with what's going on," he said in Japan. "You know how I think about a lot of stuff, right? I don't need to mention it again. So a lot of stuff for me to personally figure out."

After three rounds, Max Verstappen has 12 points in the standings and trails Kimi Antonelli by 60 points. In a poll asking our readers whether Verstappen is already out of the 2026 title race, the result is very close. The option "Yes, it’s over" won by a couple of votes ahead of "No, too early to judge", highlighting that many are not willing to count Verstappen and Red Bull Racing out just yet.

Helmut Marko has also ruled Verstappen out of the title race, although opinions among readers remain divided.

On Wednesday, Verstappen was testing the RB22 with new updates ahead of the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, which takes place next weekend. The Dutchman could drive up to 200 kilometres during the filming day at the Silverstone Circuit.