Formula E chief responds to Max Verstappen’s F1 remark: Join us for a test drive.
Max Verstappen has received an open invitation to test Formula E vehicles following his recent remarks comparing the series’ all-electric cars to the latest generation of F1 cars.
Verstappen described the new F1 cars being evaluated in Bahrain this week as “Formula E on steroids.”
A comprehensive revision of the engine regulations has created an almost equal distribution between combustion and battery power, resulting in a greater focus on managing electrical energy, recharging batteries during braking in corners, and the strategic use of various power modes throughout a race.
After only a few days in the new car, Verstappen concluded that he is not in favor of it, stating during Wednesday’s notable media session that the new F1 cars are “anti-racing.”
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds, who is currently in Saudi Arabia with the championship, sent a text to Verstappen after seeing his comments, inviting him to test the new Generation 4 car. “My slightly tongue-in-cheek message from last night was, well, one, you’re in Bahrain, I’m in Jeddah,” Dodds told ESPN. “It’s a quick flight. I’ll go and get him if he wants.
“Open invitation. Come and drive the car. For the Gen 4 car, come and have a go and see what you think. We’ve had a lot of F1 drivers inquire about driving the Gen 4 car. And I’d love Max to just provide us with an honest perspective on it, because as a four-time world champion, you have to respect Max’s opinion on anything related to motorsport.”
Formula E’s Gen 4 car is its new all-electric single-seater set to launch in the 2026-27 season, featuring approximately 600 kW (over 800 horsepower) with permanent all-wheel drive, improved aerodynamics, and regenerative technology, designed to be the series’ fastest, most efficient, and most competitive machine against F1 to date.
Dodds added: “Gen 4 is significantly faster than Gen 3 and much more powerful than Gen 3, likely around 10 seconds a lap quicker than a Gen 3 car. And when Gen 5 arrives, which will hopefully incorporate solid-state batteries and increased power and possibly slick tires and other advancements, the car will continue to improve in speed.
“We’re at a stage in the technological development where the cars are just going to keep getting better. I would argue that might be what Max would appreciate. We already accelerate 30% faster than his Formula 1 car.
“And when we’re able to go full throttle for 60 minutes in a fully electric car, he might not enjoy the sound, but I believe he would appreciate the experience of driving it. Whereas I think the concern on the Formula 1 side and perhaps for Max is that if they add more electric power, they will become slower and slower because you cannot simply keep adding technology and weight and battery weight without removing something. So if they continue to increase electric power, the cars will slow down.
“So I’m uncertain if they will pursue that direction. But perhaps what he’s realizing and contemplating is where this is headed? What does this evolve into?”
Lewis Hamilton also expressed criticism of the new generation this week, stating that the new regulations have resulted in something so complex that fans would require a university degree to grasp all the new components.
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Dodds remarked that it is natural for F1 drivers to be apprehensive about the trajectory of the pinnacle of motorsport.
“I was perhaps surprised that he referenced Formula E, but I wasn’t surprised by his comments because I think Max and Lewis and these individuals have been quite candid about their concerns regarding the implications of effectively compromising technology, maintaining combustion technology, and adding powertrain technology without selecting a clear path.
“I think I wasn’t surprised because we all know what Max enjoys, which is going full throttle, everything on the edge, which is why he enjoys racing GT3 cars at the Nürburgring and why he appreciated the previous generation of Formula One. So I wasn’t shocked that with this new era, where the car is a bit heavier, a bit slower, and requires more energy management, I’m not surprised to hear Max express that he is not enjoying this as much.
“In fact, I would have been quite surprised if he had come out and said, ‘I love this, it’s much better than what we had.’
Source: espn.com
