Max Verstappen slates F1 for holding sprint races “where you can’t pass”

Max Verstappen has criticised Formula 1’s decision to hold sprint races at circuits “where you can’t pass”. 

Four-time world champion Verstappen won an incident-packed sprint race at the Singapore Grand Prix ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton after Mercedes driver George Russell crashed out of the lead on the second lap. 

It marked the inaugural sprint race to be held in Singapore, with F1 switching up which venues host the format for the six events in 2026. Aside from the chaos caused by a heavy downpour which delayed the start, there was little overtaking action, particularly at the front. 

“I think we shouldn't host a sprint where you can't pass,” said Verstappen, who is the most successful driver in the sprint race format with 14 victories. 

“You have tracks where you can race and can overtake, but of course, in some places you cannot pass and we are going to have sprints there, also next year. I mean, I just do my thing and then that's it, right? 

“But it's not what I like. The track is great, but also the problem we have at the moment is with the overtake mode, it barely does anything here. You don't really gain a lot on the straights. 

“Also with how the rules are at the moment with our lovely batteries, it just doesn't do much. You can't even get super close or have a massive overspeed at the moment.

“I of course fully agree we need to have a longer straight or a bit more of a proper hairpin to overtake but even with that we need a bigger delta on the straights.”

Singapore marked the sixth and final sprint race to be held in 2026 but F1 is increasing the number of sprints to 10 for 2027, including one at Monaco for the first time. 

That decision has raised eyebrows within the F1 paddock given that overtaking is virtually impossible around the tight and twisty streets of Monte Carlo. 

Even home hero Charles Leclerc has questioned F1’s thinking behind selecting Monaco to stage a sprint race next season. 

“I don't think it makes sense to have any sprint races on on city tracks in general,” said Leclerc, who finished third. 

“We probably should use these sprints to have them on tracks where it's easy to overtake, where you can have a lot of racing action and it actually adds something to the weekend. Whereas here or Monaco, I don't think it adds anything to the weekend.”

Seven-time world champion Hamilton thinks Singapore requires changes to its layout to become a great circuit for racing. 

“I love the race here. I really do love the race,” Hamilton said. “I think they need to change the track to maybe a longer straight somewhere in order to allow it to be truly a great racing circuit, because I think it has the potential to be a great racing circuit. 

“It's a great track to drive over a single lap and qualifying, but there's like one place really that you can potentially get close to overtake, but then in other places, like Turn 16, the crest in the middle of the track, sparks come up because the track isn't particularly flat. 

“I think there's some adjustments that can be made to make this 100% like a great circuit. Whether or not they're going to do that, I don't know. I thought it was fun, but if it was dry, that would have been probably the most boring race for you to have watched. 

“It was the rain that made it exciting, so if you can always make it rain, then it's always going to be a great sprint race, but otherwise it would probably just have been straightforward tyre management, everyone sticking behind each other.”