Feb.16 (GMM) Formula E chief Jeff Dodds has responded to Max Verstappen’s scathing verdict on Formula 1’s new 2026 cars by inviting the quadruple world champion to try an electric racer for himself.
After Verstappen described the new F1 generation as feeling “like Formula E on steroids”, Dodds reacted swiftly.
“I’m inviting Max,” Dodds told Soymotor. “I actually sent him a message last night, because Jeddah isn’t that far from Bahrain. And if he shows up here, we’ll give him a run in our car and see what he says afterward.”
“When Max talks about steroids, if he means something unnatural, then in that sense he’s right. Overall, I’d love to see Max behind the wheel of a Formula E car, and we can consider him invited.”
Verstappen’s comments have reignited speculation he could shorten his Formula 1 career amid dissatisfaction with the energy-heavy philosophy of the new regulations.
Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache made clear the team’s focus remains on performance, not politics.
“Making Verstappen happy isn’t my job,” he said. “My job, and that of the whole team, is to give him a car he can win with. How the rules are formulated is outside our purview.”
Some rivals have been blunt.
“If he wants to retire, he can retire,” said Lando Norris earlier this week. George Russell struck a similar tone.
“He’s more than welcome to go to the Nordschleife,” Russell said. “We’ve only had these regulations for three days. They’ll be in place for three years. Everyone will make enormous progress in the first few months. We really need to give it some time.
“As far as I’m concerned, I just want to win. I suspect a driver who has already won a lot recently would prefer to drive the best and most fun cars.”
Russell also acknowledged there is more to modern F1 than the drivers’ wishes.
“The cars we enjoy most aren’t necessarily the ones that produce the best races. We want the best, fastest cars and the most thrilling motorsport. But how do you achieve that? As racing enthusiasts, we’d naturally prefer loud V10 and V8 engines. But maybe the new fans think differently.”
Others share Verstappen’s unease.
Sergio Perez warned that overtaking “could become somewhat more difficult because of the energy management”, adding: “I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but it could become like Formula E racing.”
Haas rookie Oliver Bearman admitted: “The annoying thing is definitely the energy management. Experiencing it in real life for the first time – that was a bit disheartening.”
Fernando Alonso offered a similar view.
“Now we’re about 50kmh slower through some corners because we don’t want to waste energy,” he said. “If you can go through there at 200 kmh instead of 260, anyone can do it – even our chef could drive the car at that speed.
“That’s why I understand Max’s statement. As a driver, you want to make the difference in the corners, but now energy management determines how you drive.”
Charles Leclerc described the criticism from Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as “a bit extreme”, but did not fully disagree.
“I cannot lie. It’s not the most fun car I’ve ever driven,” he said. “It’s very different.
“Currently, I find it extremely difficult to even attempt an overtaking manoeuvre. You now pay a much higher price than before if you want to get past an opponent.”
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