Max Verstappen confirms Charles Leclerc’s Mario Kart comparison after F1 Australian GP. During the 2026 Australian GP, Charles Leclerc compared F1 to Mario Kart.

During the Australian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc described the start of the race as a “Mario Kart” scenario—and Max Verstappen agreed with his assessment! The new 2026 F1 regulations are causing significant disruption among teams, and both Leclerc and Verstappen have drawn comparisons between the sport and the popular video game Mario Kart, citing the continuous overtakes and counter-overtakes that occurred both at the start and throughout the race.

For the Dutchman, this new car configuration has been particularly challenging, especially given his lifelong passion for motorsport.

Verstappen speaks candidly: “Strange things happened, like Mario Kart”

“Chaos, highs and lows,” Max Verstappen told Viaplay. “You overtake on a straight, and then you can be overtaken again. Of course, I also have better cornering speed [compared to the mid-pack], so then clearly they can’t attack me again. However, in the middle of the field, strange things happened, like Mario Kart.”

Leclerc had made a similar playful comparison over the team radio just a few laps into the race, referring to the new “boost” button—a feature that adds a temporary power surge. “When I press it, it feels just like the mushroom in Mario Kart,” the Monegasque driver had commented.

Challenging race for Max Verstappen starting from the back

The Red Bull driver, on the other hand, started at the back of the grid due to a mistake in qualifying. Problems quickly arose during the race as well, including severe graining on his tires.

“At the start, I managed to stay out of trouble, but of course, we are also much faster than the mid-pack,” the four-time world champion added. “You just have to come out unscathed. When I ended up driving alone for a while, I struggled a lot with graining. There were also many issues with the brakes, and the car was pulling to one side. The steering doesn’t give good feedback. Honestly, there aren’t many positives, even in terms of feeling.”

Red Bull engine gets Max Verstappen’s approval

Despite his teammate Isack Hadjar retiring due to reliability issues, Verstappen praised the new Red Bull power unit. “We’re racing for the very first time with our own engine, so we can’t complain,” he said. “I managed to overtake quite a few people. That means the power is there. Obviously, we can’t fully compete with the front runners right now, but that’s not our only issue. I think we also still need to take another step forward with the car itself.”