Max Verstappen opens up on plans for 2026 F1 campaign

Red Bull's Max Verstappen has opened up on plans for the 2026 Formula 1 campaign, international media reported on Friday.

The 2025 season has not been ideal for the F1 champion. He is third with 187 points in the current F1 driver standings, behind a dominant McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri (284 points) and Lando Norris (275).

Verstappen, who has now realised that he is far behind in the title race this season, is now shifting his focus towards regulation changes that will sweep over F1 this winter.

Speaking ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, when asked about next year's campaign, Verstappen said he has already started the preparations.

“Step by step. Of course, you are working on this year, but you are also already looking at things for next year. And the teams are busy working on it anyway,” Verstappen said.

"In the beginning, you depend on what they build. From there you go as a driver.... Then you feel things and see things that maybe could be different."

Max Verstappen has tested Red Bull's 2026 car in the simulator but said that there is not much use for that currently.

"I was in the simulator on Tuesday," he explained.

"But on the simulator, there are all these things.... You can make it as good as you want in terms of how you fill it out. You don't have much use for that at the moment.

"I prefer to keep a low profile," the Red Bull driver said. "There is no point in being negative or positive anyway, let's just wait and see."

Verstappen has two wins and five podium finishes this season so far.