Max Verstappen Attributes Smaller Team-Mate Gaps to Easier 2026 Cars

During the Dutch Grand Prix, Max Verstappen commented on the narrow gaps between team-mates in 2026, attributing this trend to the current generation of cars being easier to drive. Verstappen's remarks followed impressive performances by Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, who both qualified closely behind their respective team-mates.

At Zandvoort, Lawson qualified eighth, just one-tenth behind Verstappen, while Tsunoda also showed strong performance in his first race weekend. Verstappen noted that the ease of finding the limit with these cars has contributed to the small margins observed throughout the season, where drivers often qualify within tenths of each other.

However, McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella disagreed, stating that the 2026 cars remain challenging to drive due to new power unit regulations. He emphasized that drivers face difficulties related to grip and power deployment, which can lead to significant performance variations. Stella acknowledged improvements in driver adaptability but maintained that the chassis challenges persist.