Source:REUTERS/ Hamad I Mohammed
[Saba Sports News] After completing 136 laps in the Bahrain test, reigning Red Bull driver Max Verstappen spoke to the media. He gave an extremely negative review of the new car under the revised regulations, bluntly criticizing:
“The new car has no driving pleasure at all. It’s like FE on steroids. Drivers are no longer just driving purely, but managing energy non‑stop. This goes against the very essence of F1, which is about ultimate speed.”
His comments drew widespread attention from fans and media. Soon after, FE CEO Jeff Dodds invited Verstappen to test‑drive an electric race car.
Dodds was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for an FE race at the time. He even joked that he would pick Verstappen up if he wanted to come. He also wants the four‑time world champion to experience an FE car firsthand and share his honest feedback.
In my view, this exchange—Verstappen’s sharp criticism followed by the CEO’s invitation—has become the biggest talking point in motorsport lately. It has also made people rethink: should racing prioritize speed or efficiency, and how should the shift to electrification strike a balance?