Max Verstappen said his future in Formula 1 will hinge on an ongoing debate over the sport's engine regulations for 2027, with the four-time world champion saying a failure to make changes would be "mentally not doable" for him.
Verstappen has been among the biggest critics of the controversial 50/50 split between combustion and electric power introduced this year, labelling the new formula as "anti-racing."
A recent "agreement in principle" to reduce electric power and increase combustion power for 2027 aims to introduce a 60/40 split for next season, but the exact details of how that will be achieved have not been signed off.
Verstappen said on Thursday that he approves of the proposal and would stay in F1 if the changes are implemented, but the matter has become increasingly political with some teams wanting to delay the change to 2028.
"If it stays like this, it's going to be a long year next year that I don't want," Verstappen said.
Asked what it would mean for his future, he added: "It's just mentally not doable for me if it stays like this. It's really not."
Opposition to the changes for 2027 centre around knock-on costs and the complications that would arise for the sport's existing engine performance catch-up mechanism (known as Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities).
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Verstappen said he hopes the sport's governing body, the FIA, and its commercial arm, Formula One Management, will be able to work together to ensure the changes are made.
"Let's stay on the positive side," he added. "We are still, I think, looking towards making those changes.
"Of course, some people that maybe have a bit of advantage at the moment will try to be difficult about it, but if the FIA is strong, and also from the FOM side, they just need do it."
Asked if he would consider a sabbatical in 2027 if the changes are pushed back until 2028, Verstappen made clear that if he quits F1 he will not come back.
"No," he said. "There's a lot of other fun things out there."
