Verstappen warns 2026 engine rules will make Silverstone 'feel like a completely different track'
Max Verstappen has warned that the 2026 F1 power-unit regulations will make the British Grand Prix particularly challenging, because Silverstone's fast, flowing layout offers almost no braking zones for battery regeneration. Speaking after the Austrian GP, the four-time world champion said he 'started laughing' during simulator sessions at how little energy the car had available around the circuit.
Simulator sessions prompt Silverstone warning
Max Verstappen has flagged the British Grand Prix as a potential flashpoint for the ongoing 2026 energy-management debate, saying simulator work at Red Bull's Milton Keynes facility revealed an alarming lack of available battery power around Silverstone. [1] The four-time world champion described the feeling during those runs as so striking that he "started laughing" at how different the circuit felt under the new regulations. [2]
The root of the concern lies in Silverstone's high-speed, flowing character. The 2026 power units carry a roughly equal split between internal-combustion and electrical output, with the MGU-K delivering up to 350 kW to the rear wheels; energy is recovered mainly through braking and lift-and-coast phases. [5] Silverstone's signature sequences, most notably the flat-out Maggots-Becketts-Chapel complex, offer almost none of those recovery opportunities, meaning the battery can drain rapidly over a lap without being meaningfully replenished. [1]
Verstappen contrasted Silverstone directly with the Red Bull Ring, where he had just secured second place after Red Bull's seven-part upgrade package, noting that Austria's heavy braking zones allowed drivers to harvest energy effectively. [2] "Here [in Austria] you have long straights and big braking zones, so you can charge the battery," he explained, adding that at Silverstone the fast corners between the straights prevent the same recovery from occurring. [1]
Broader context: a season-long debate
Verstappen has been among the loudest voices criticising the 2026 engine formula throughout the season. [3] Fernando Alonso labelled the series the "battery world championship," and Verstappen himself raised the possibility of leaving F1 if structural changes were not made. [3] The FIA and Formula One Management have already responded with a phased plan: from 2027, the ICE-to-ERS split will shift to 58/42 in favour of combustion power, reaching 60/40 by 2028, reducing the burden of energy saving during racing. [4] Intermediate measures adopted ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, including raising the super-clipping limit from 340 bhp to 470 bhp, were also introduced to ease the effect mid-season. [4]
:::analysis Silverstone's layout has always been celebrated for precisely the qualities that now create a tension with the 2026 rules. The fact that drivers must manage battery depletion through sequences that were previously taken flat out represents a genuine sporting challenge unique to this regulatory era. Whether that produces compelling racing or frustrating energy conservation will be one of the key storylines to watch across the British GP weekend. The FIA's longer-term rule fixes are confirmed, but Silverstone arrives before any of those structural changes take effect. :::
British GP weekend format
The 2026 British Grand Prix is a sprint weekend, with the single practice session on Friday 3 July followed by sprint qualifying, the sprint itself on Saturday morning, and the main race on Sunday 5 July at 15:00 BST. [6]
Related reading
[1]: Autosport, "Why Verstappen burst out laughing during British GP simulator runs," accessed 2026-06-29. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/why-max-verstappen-burst-out-laughing-during-british-gp-simulator-runs/10834845/ [2]: Crash.net, "Why Max Verstappen 'started laughing' when driving Silverstone on Red Bull's F1 simulator," accessed 2026-06-29. https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1099902/1/why-max-verstappen-started-laughing-when-driving-silverstone-red-bulls-f1 [3]: ESPN, "F1 agree change to controversial engine rules after drivers' complaints," accessed 2026-06-29. https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/49021371/f1-change-controversial-engine-rules-drivers-complaints-power-unit-max-verstappen-fernando-alonso [4]: PlanetF1, "FIA confirms major engine change after F1 2026 concerns," accessed 2026-06-29. https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-approves-f1-2026-power-unit-rule-changes [5]: Formula1.com, "2026 Regulations Explained: All you need to know about F1's new power units," accessed 2026-06-29. https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/2026-regulations-explained-all-you-need-to-know-about-f1s-new-power-units.14jfv7a36905uDJDdNyfQd [6]: GPFans, "When is the next F1 race? British Grand Prix schedule and details for 2026," accessed 2026-06-29. https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1086887/when-is-next-f1-race-british-grand-prix-silverstone-schedule-details-2026/
- [1]Why Verstappen burst out laughing during British GP simulator runs (autosport). Accessed 2026-06-29.
- [2]Why Max Verstappen 'started laughing' when driving Silverstone on Red Bull's F1 simulator (crash). Accessed 2026-06-29.
- [3]F1 agree change to controversial engine rules after drivers' complaints (espn). Accessed 2026-06-29.
- [4]FIA confirms major engine change after F1 2026 concerns (planetf1). Accessed 2026-06-29.
- [5]2026 Regulations Explained: All you need to know about F1's new power units (formula1). Accessed 2026-06-29.
- [6]When is the next F1 race? British Grand Prix schedule and details for 2026 (gpfans). Accessed 2026-06-29.