Anthony Davidson says Max Verstappen’s old habits are catching up with him in Australia
· Yahoo Sports
Max Verstappen had a rare mistake during the second practice session at the Australian Grand Prix, and Anthony Davidson pointed out that it looked like the Red Bull driver was expecting more grip than he actually had.
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It wasn’t an easy session for Verstappen, who came to a stop at the end of the pit lane on his first attempt to get out on track. Although he managed to rejoin, he completed only 13 laps.
Verstappen’s fastest lap, a 1:20.366, was six-tenths off Oscar Piastri’s leading time for McLaren. While it’s still early days to draw any firm conclusions, this result lines up with pre-season expectations that Red Bull might be only fourth quickest.
Anthony Davidson says Max Verstappen had ‘lapse of concentration’ in the Red Bull
Verstappen ran wide into the gravel at high speed on the exit of the turn nine/10 chicane during race simulations late in the session. The Dutchman managed to carry on, though there were visible signs of bodywork damage.
Sky Sports analyst Anthony Davidson noted that drivers are still adjusting to slower corner speeds in 2026 cars, which have roughly 30% less downforce than last year’s models. Davidson suggested Verstappen may have simply misjudged his approach, taking it with more confidence than this season’s cars can handle.
He is also among those who have voiced criticism over Formula One’s new technical regulations.
“That late snap was the thing that caught him out there,” said Davidson. “Something that’s difficult for the drivers, particularly for the more experienced drivers, is re-learning corner speeds.
“Last year, you had such an impressive amount of downforce at a corner like that. If you have a lapse of concentration and you just remember the good old days, and suddenly you’re going a lot quicker than what your car can actually do, it might feel slow for you because you’re doing a race run and you just relax into it.”
“Suddenly, the car doesn’t like it. That was a huge moment. He corrected it and kept the car out of barrier but it was still from his initial mistake of carrying too much speed mid-corner.”
Max Verstappen questions how fans will receive the 2026 F1 rules
Much like Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen believes fans will need a ‘degree’ just to follow the new regulations. Broadcasters are expected to spend plenty of time during the Australian Grand Prix weekend, and the early part of the season, breaking down what’s changed.
Ralf Schumacher, speaking on Sky Germany, agrees that Formula 1 has become too complex but thinks Verstappen would have been better off holding back until he’d raced under the new rules a bit more.
The Dutchman has been open about his priorities. While he’s already achieved plenty in his career, what matters most to him now is enjoying life behind the wheel.
In the end, it’s close competition that draws fans in. If these changes manage to deliver more exciting races after a dull 2025 campaign, most people will probably accept some of the quirks around energy management.
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