Max Verstappen predicts a strange British Grand Prix after battery power trouble made him laugh
Max Verstappen said Silverstone’s layout will leave 2026 Formula 1 cars short of battery power on the long straights.
- Red Bull driver Max Verstappen warned that the British Grand Prix at Silverstone will expose limitations of 2026 Formula regulations, saying simulator testing left him laughing at how different the track feels.
- The 2026 cars rely heavily on electrical battery power recharged through braking, but Silverstone's layout lacks the heavy braking zones needed to restore energy for its long straights, Verstappen explained.
- Verstappen described the track as feeling like a different circuit, noting "you barely have battery around the lap." His simulator experience prompted the realization of how the regulations will struggle at Silverstone.
- After finishing second at the Austrian Grand Prix, Verstappen felt competitive for the first time this season with Red Bull's upgraded car, saying the team worked hard to deliver performance improvements.
- Verstappen has been the grid's most persistent critic of the 2026 Formula cars and their battery reliance, citing regulatory concerns in questioning his own future in the sport.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Associated Press News
Max Verstappen predicts a strange British Grand Prix after battery power trouble made him laugh
Max Verstappen has said he burst out laughing after realizing how next week’s British Grand Prix will highlight the shortcomings of the new Formula 1 regulations.
Silverstone to expose F1's battery problem again – Verstappen
Jun.29 Max Verstappen thinks Formula 1's controversial 2026 regulations will come under renewed scrutiny at Silverstone this weekend despite recent tweaks to improve the racing. The Dutchman has been one of the biggest critics of the new hybrid... More »
Max Verstappen approached the Great Britain Grand Prix with caution after discovering on simulator a particularly demanding Silverstone for energy management. The Dutchman feared a circuit much different from those already contested this season, where the operation of the battery could become a determining factor. The Dutchman feared a particularly complicated Grand Prix with the new constraints of the power units 2026, despite the (...)
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