Despite the regulation changes introduced after the Miami Grand Prix, many Formula 1 drivers continue to insist that the current generation of cars demands an unnatural driving style built around energy management. Max Verstappen is among those who share that opinion, although the reigning world champion also acknowledges that adapting has become an unavoidable part of modern Formula 1.
Every new technical regulation brings its own unique characteristics, especially when major changes are made to the power unit. As history has repeatedly shown, altering the heart of the car inevitably transforms the way it must be driven, whether the sport is moving between naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines or from conventional internal combustion to hybrid technology.
The same happened in 2014, when Formula 1 introduced the turbo-hybrid power units. That revolution fundamentally changed many aspects of driving, and several of those characteristics have carried over into the current ruleset—arguably becoming even more pronounced with today’s powerful electrical systems.
One example from that era was qualifying, where starting a flying lap with a fully charged battery was not always the fastest approach. Managing electrical energy has remained a critical factor ever since, but with a 350 kW MGU-K now working alongside an internal combustion engine producing a similar amount of power, the priorities have shifted even further.
Understanding how to use the available electrical energy as efficiently as possible, while maximizing the time during which the MGU-K can provide power, has become one of the most important elements of modern Formula 1 driving. Silverstone provided another perfect example, where the amount of energy that could be recovered over a lap was extremely limited.
It is often said that running less aerodynamic downforce allows drivers to recover more energy through the corners, and while that can sometimes be true, Silverstone demonstrated the opposite. The fast, sweeping layout demanded not only aerodynamic efficiency but also significant downforce, allowing drivers to carry speed through corners such as Copse and transfer that advantage onto the following straights, where opportunities to deploy the MGU-K were heavily restricted.
As a result, a circuit that in previous seasons rewarded ultra-low-downforce configurations—famously allowing Max Verstappen to take pole position with a Monza-spec rear wing—once again became a track where downforce played a decisive role.
Even so, balancing aerodynamic efficiency with energy management continued to create unusual driving situations. Verstappen admitted that the post-Miami technical changes have done little to make the cars feel more natural.
“Not at all. We’re still a long way away,” the Dutchman explained when asked whether the cars now felt more natural to drive after the changes introduced following Miami. “Even in Austria, we still aren’t taking the corners in a truly natural way.”
But what exactly was Verstappen referring to? There are two key aspects. The first is the need to maximize energy harvesting at specific sections of the circuit, allowing the battery to recharge in places where braking alone cannot generate enough electrical energy. The second is maximizing the amount of electrical deployment available on the straights.
Silverstone highlighted this challenge even more clearly because the circuit’s energy density—the relationship between usable electrical energy and lap length—was particularly unfavorable. Teams therefore had to adopt driving techniques that often ran contrary to traditional racing instincts.
Ferrari provided a clear example. From Friday onwards, Lewis Hamilton was instructed to carry more speed into and through the Becketts complex so he could delay getting back on the throttle before the Hangar Straight. At first glance, this appears completely counterintuitive, since drivers normally aim to accelerate as early as possible in order to maximize the time spent at full throttle.
Under the current regulations, however, that is not always the fastest solution. In some situations, delaying throttle application slightly results in a small compromise at corner exit but allows the MGU-K to remain active for longer along the straight, where the extended electrical assistance delivers a greater overall performance gain.
A similar concept was also seen in Mercedes‘ clever approach to MGU-K deployment. The team briefly allowed the electric motor to operate at higher power before cutting deployment at precisely the right moment to remain within the regulations. The strategy is entirely legal, but it is also another example of how unnatural modern Formula 1 driving has become, requiring extremely precise planning and forcing drivers to lift off the throttle just moments before the battery reaches its limit.
Running lower gears and relying heavily on MGU-K energy recovery through slow-speed corners also changes the car’s balance, making it feel less predictable. Earlier this season, it was already reported that several drivers were frustrated by having to use first gear through certain corners, since this alters the rear-end characteristics and limits the ability to rotate the car using throttle inputs.
Many drivers naturally like to manipulate the rear of the car to stabilize it, especially now that Formula 1 uses narrower tyres running at higher pressures, which inevitably provide less mechanical grip than in previous years. If the engine response is not ideal—as happened throughout the Austrian Grand Prix weekend in Turn 3 for both Red Bull drivers—it becomes significantly harder not only to judge the braking phase correctly but also to rotate the car effectively through the corner.
Several aspects will change for the 2027 regulations. The MGU-K’s output during deployment will be reduced by 50 kW, while its energy recovery capability will increase. Another important modification that has received relatively little attention is the battery’s increased capacity, which will allow it to store an additional 0.5 MJ of energy. Combined, these changes should make management of the electrical system considerably less demanding.
Even so, Verstappen believes these characteristics will not disappear entirely. As long as Formula 1 continues to rely so heavily on hybrid power, drivers will simply have to evolve alongside the regulations.
“Next year there will be a small improvement, but with what we have at the moment we really have to adapt a lot as drivers,” Max Verstappen concluded.
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