Verstappen: “Silverstone with the 2026 F1? I was laughing in the simulator, it’s a different track”

The Dutchman is not optimistic. After an overall pleasant weekend with numerous on-track battles on a track like the Red Bull Ring which has always provided a spectacle, the 2026 F1 cars are preparing to take a very difficult test at Silverstone in Great Britain. The temple of English motorsport has extolled the qualities of the F1 cars of the 2022-2025 technical cycle based on ground effect. In Northamptonshire the riders enjoyed tackling the fast corners with crazy downforce, but now the situation has changed diametrically. The 2026 cars have less downforce and, above all, energy management throughout the lap will be a big problem because recharging the battery on a track where you brake little will not be easy at all. Max Verstappen in the press conference has already warned everyone to prepare for a Silverstone that won’t be a Silverstone: “When I tried it on the simulator I had to laugh, it’s a different track – said Verstappen – the battery barely lasts one lap, you’re always with the throttle wide open, it will be very difficult because you can’t recharge the battery”.

Automobile Magazine – Formula1 English, News

2026-06-29 16:00:00