Max Verstappen says F1 should revert back to the cars it was using in 2010

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has claimed that F1 should revert to the cars it was using in 2010, instead of the larger vehicles in today’s sport.

Often slated to be a driver that doesn’t belong in this era of racing, Max Verstappen could be picked up and placed in any F1 car in existence and have been an elite racer – arguably the most talented of all time.

But alas, the current crop of F1 cars is wrapped up in regulations tied to the V6 hybrid engine, making for wider shells and wings.

Reigning champion Verstappen wants an end to the V6 era, though, eyeing something more akin to the 2010 cars piloted by legends like Sebastian Vettel.

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Max Verstappen

Verstappen appears to be handing over the trophy at the end of this year, as the issues with the Red Bull cars have reached an all-time high.

Red Bull has seemingly sold Verstappen the dream, securing his seat for future seasons amid huge interest from Mercedes, as the new car is set to switch to an in-house engine for the first time ever.

But if he had it all his way, Verstappen would rip up the other 19 F1 cars on the grid too and throw us back into a bygone era.

Particularly the 2010s.

Speaking to Autosport, he said that the cars in 2010 were better for racing.

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

“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.”

What is the difference?

The biggest difference between the current F1 cars and those of 2010 is the engines.

The current V6 hybrids replaced a naturally aspirated 2.4-litre V8, mainly to help teams build their powertrains directly attached to the monocoque.

But this also makes them much heavier than cars gone by, and the chassis are wider than ever.

On a slim racetrack, this makes overtaking much harder, and Formula 1 has suffered from a lack of wheel-to-wheel action, especially at divisive circuits like Monaco.

Verstappen isn’t alone in his thoughts, as a lot of the F1 paddock reportedly want to see V8 engines return.

However, Max might be eating his words after Red Bull has finally found momentum in the 2025 season, with him shattering all race records at Monza last weekend.

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