Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have weighed in on the prospect of Max Verstappen leaving the grid – and their message is clear: if Verstappen walks, Formula 1 will lose far more than just a driver.
The four-time world champion’s frustration with Grand Prix racing’s new regulations has been loud, persistent, and impossible to ignore.
Verstappen has questioned not just the direction of the sport – but his place in it. And while rivals might be expected to quietly welcome his exit, Piastri isn’t playing that game.
“It would be a shame if that does end up happening,” told the media.
“Clearly, the Red Bull doesn’t look like the most competitive car at the moment, but I think the regulations are… they’re obviously being worked on, but they’ve needed quite a lot of work and they’re certainly more complex.
“I think it would be a shame for the sport to lose Max, especially at this point in his career as well. It would be a big loss for the sport as a whole.
“I think for us, as drivers, we want to race against the best and try and prove ourselves against the best. I think Max has shown his calibre in the last 10 years and I think, especially the last five or six, he’s been the benchmark.
“So I think for everyone it would be a pretty big shame and obviously not a great look.”
That word – benchmark – hangs heavily. Because in modern Formula 1, Verstappen isn’t just another competitor. He’s the reference point. The measuring stick. The one everyone is chasing.
If Piastri’s take was measured, Norris added something more personal – a blend of respect, realism, and a hint of disbelief that the sport could lose one of its defining figures.
“Max has earned the right to go and do whatever he wants,” he said. “He’s won four world championships.
“And he’s always been that guy – it’s not just now – he’s always been very open to say what he thinks, whether you agree or not or whether you should say it or shouldn’t. He’s himself and I think that’s a very good way to live your life.
“And I think it would be a shame for us because I think as much as he makes our lives incredibly tough at times, he’s always good fun to race against and it’s always cool to race against someone that’s won four championships. You always feel like you want to race against the best in the world and he certainly is one of them so yeah it would be a loss for the sport.”
In a sport built on ruthless competition, this is something rarer: admiration without agenda. Norris doesn’t deny the challenge Verstappen brings – he embraces it.
Because beating the best means something. Winning without them? Less so.
The controversy around the 2026 regulations has split the grid. For rookies, it’s a brave new world. For veterans, it’s a step into the unknown – and not always a welcome one.
Norris peeled back the curtain on that divide.
“I think it’s relative for different people because when you see that the new guys who come in and this is their first year in Formula 1 everyone is like ‘yeah these cars are sick’,” he said.
“For the guys who have driven last year’s cars and for some of the previous ones, of course, we have something to compare against and it’s all kind of relative for everyone
“But hopefully things get better and I was just told he said he wants to win a fifth world championship at the minute, so I’m sure he’ll stay longer than people say.”
There it is – a flicker of hope. Even amid the uncertainty, Norris isn’t ready to believe the exit talk just yet.
Piastri doubled down, his stance unwavering – almost protective of what Verstappen represents.
“It would be a shame for the sport to lose Max, you know especially at this point in his career as well. I think it would be a big loss for the sport as a whole,” he said.
“For us as drivers, we want to race against the best and try and prove ourselves against the best and I think Max has shown his calibre in the last 10 years. I think especially the last five or six he’s been the benchmark so, for everyone it would be a pretty big shame and obviously not a great look.”
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This isn’t just about one driver’s future. It’s about Formula 1’s identity. Because if the benchmark walks away – what does that say about the sport chasing him?
For now, Verstappen remains. The fight continues. The tension builds. But make no mistake: behind the helmets and rivalries, even his fiercest competitors know the truth.
Formula 1 without Verstappen would still exist. It just wouldn’t feel the same.
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