The very best Formula 1 drivers, including four-time world champion Max Verstappen, are being systematically stripped of their ability to dominate, and the unintended consequences of the sport’s new technical regulations are now impossible to ignore. The evidence from the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort was stark and undeniable, revealing a fundamental shift in the competitive landscape that has left the sport’s elite struggling to separate themselves from their teammates. The margins have shrunk to the point where a driver’s raw talent is no longer the decisive factor it once was, raising urgent questions about the future of racing excellence in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Liam Lawson stepped into the Red Bull cockpit at the very last minute, replacing an injured Isack Hadjar, and immediately began breathing down Verstappen’s neck. The performance was not an anomaly. Across the garage, Yuki Tsunoda was handed a one-off opportunity with the Racing Bulls car, a machine he had never driven before, and he promptly beat his more experienced teammate, Ayhancan Güven.
While these achievements are impressive displays of adaptability, they expose a much deeper and more troubling issue for the sport. The fact that reserve drivers can jump into complex machinery and match the reigning world champion within hours is a clear signal that the car is doing too much of the work.
Formula 1 and the FIA are now openly acknowledging that they must address this problem over the coming years to restore the driver’s primacy. The very best drivers need the freedom to make the difference through pure driving ability, but that freedom is currently being denied by the sport’s own technical rules. The question on everyone’s mind is simple: what exactly is holding top drivers back this year, and what needs to change for Verstappen to once again be able to make the difference that his talent demands?
The answers lie in the complex interplay between energy management, battery deployment, and the predetermined driving lines forced upon the competitors.
Verstappen himself was asked in his post-qualifying media session at Zandvoort whether he was surprised by Lawson’s immediate pace. His response was telling and cut to the heart of the matter. He pointed directly to Tsunoda’s performance as further evidence of the trend.
Getting into a car and being immediately competitive is becoming too easy, he suggested. When pressed on whether it is actually easier to drive these cars, Verstappen’s answer was unequivocal. He stated flatly that everyone has been within a tenth of each other all season long, and that is simply the way it is under the current regulations.
It was a damning indictment of the sport’s direction.
The trend is undeniable. Under the new regulations, the gaps between teammates have shrunk dramatically across the entire grid. A specific driving style is now required to extract the optimum lap time from the car, and that style is not necessarily the one that allows a genius like Verstappen to shine.
Zandvoort remains one of the circuits where drivers can still push reasonably hard, but at other tracks, the situation is far worse. Drivers are forced to save a significant amount of energy through the corners, and it is in those precise moments that the absolute top drivers would normally find that little bit extra to set themselves apart from the pack.
The root cause of this problem is energy management. Drivers can no longer simply attack every corner at the absolute limit because the battery must be recharged and deployed throughout a single lap. The way a driver has to approach certain corners is now more or less predetermined by the software.
Push harder in one place, and you could end up paying for it by being short on energy later in the lap. This reduces the advantage a driver can gain through exceptional braking technique, cornering speed, or throttle application. The influence of drivers like Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, who are renowned for their qualifying prowess, is being systematically reduced to a minimum.
This is not to take anything away from Lawson and Tsunoda, who have still had to deliver under immense pressure in very difficult situations. Tsunoda was called up out of the blue while he was on holiday in Greece, yet he managed to perform at a level that matched drivers who had been preparing all week. The fact remains that even a four-time Formula 1 drivers’ champion can be eliminated from a race within a single lap, as Verstappen himself experienced.
As the old saying goes, to finish first, first you must finish. But creating a genuinely big gap over your closest rival now appears to be a monumental challenge, even for the most gifted drivers on the grid.
There is a glimmer of hope for those who crave pure racing. Compared to the start of the 2026 season, the driver is gradually being given a bigger role again. The influence of the battery is being reduced step-by-step to make the racing feel more natural.
There is no magic solution, but as the season has progressed, we have seen Verstappen begin to increase the gap to his teammate, particularly in terms of race pace. Part of that will undoubtedly be because the 28-year-old Verstappen also needed some time to adapt to the new machinery and its quirks. The process of reclaiming the driver’s influence has begun, but it is far from complete.
Formula 1 and the FIA are taking concrete steps to put the driver back at the center of the action. In 2027, the balance between the internal combustion engine and the electrical power is set to shift to roughly 58-42, before moving further to 60-40 in 2028. The aim is to reduce the reliance on energy management even further and allow drivers to spend more time pushing flat out.
These changes are designed to restore the natural order where driver skill is the primary differentiator, not the ability to manage a battery charge cycle. The sport is listening to the complaints of its stars, but the changes cannot come soon enough for those who feel stifled.
The fact remains that software currently plays a crucial role in determining lap times. Calculations surrounding deployment and recharging mean that there is a certain way that a driver must approach a qualifying lap or a race lap. There is no room for improvisation or for a driver to find a unique line that shaves off a tenth of a second.
Verstappen, a natural racer who thrives on instinct and aggression, would undoubtedly prefer things to be different. He has made no secret of his frustration with the current state of affairs, and his comments at Zandvoort were the clearest indication yet that the sport has a problem.
At least Verstappen has secured his future with Red Bull, having extended his contract until the end of 2030. This means he will be around to experience the changes himself over the coming years. He will be a central figure in the debate about how to restore the driver’s influence, and when the time comes for further adjustments, you can be sure we will hear his unfiltered opinion loud and clear.
The sport is at a crossroads, and the decisions made in the next few seasons will determine whether Formula 1 remains a test of human skill or becomes a battle of engineering software. The drivers are demanding their sport back, and the clock is ticking.
