System E chief sends "naughty” Jeddah invite to Max Verstappen after F1 2026 criticism

System E CEO Jeff Dodds has invited Max Verstappen to this weekend’s Jeddah E-Prix after the Pink Bull driver slammed the 2026 System 1 vehicles as “System E on steroids”.

Verstappen precipitated a stir on the second day of the F1 testing in Bahrain when he voiced considerations concerning the new era of grand prix equipment, notably criticising the better reliance on vitality administration.

“Loads of what you do as a driver, by way of inputs, has a large impact on the vitality facet of issues,” he defined on Thursday. “For me, that is simply not System 1. Perhaps it is higher to drive System E, proper? As a result of that is all about vitality, effectivity and administration.”

Learn Additionally:

These remarks had been interpreted by some as dismissive of System E, the place drivers should fastidiously handle vitality utilization and use lift-and-coast strategies to recharge their automotive’s battery.

Dodds stated he understands the place Verstappen is coming from and described the Dutchman as somebody who likes “uncooked and traditionalist motorsport”.

The Briton revealed that he despatched a tongue-in-cheek textual content message to the 28-year-old, mentioning he might expertise System E first-hand this weekend because the all-electric championship hosts rounds 4 and 5 of the 2025/26 season in Jeddah – simply 1500km from neighbouring Bahrain.

“I dropped Max a message yesterday to mainly say, ‘you are in Bahrain, I am in Jeddah, for those who fancy coming right here as an alternative, I will come and get you.’ So I used to be being naughty once I messaged him.

“I am not shocked in any respect [by the comments].

“Lots of [the Formula E drivers] and most of the workforce principals contacted me to say it as an amazing alternative for us.

“Loads of them are saying to me that it is nice that he even references System E, as a result of it is nice for consciousness. I feel it is a good alternative for us to point out folks what we’re fabricated from, and the place we’re going.

“What you will see right here is shut fight, elbows-out [racing], 150 overtakes most likely within the race. So, if extra folks from his feedback assume, oh go and take a look [at Formula E], [that is] nice for me.”

Verstappen would “love” Gen4 vehicles

Porsche Gen 4

Photograph by: Porsche

System E will introduce new technical rules within the 2026/27 season, with the Gen4 automotive able to producing 800bhp and that includes an all-wheel drive system. The championship expects a “very small” efficiency hole between F1 and System E when the Gen4 automotive makes its debut later this 12 months.

Dodds believes Verstappen would relish the pace and the superior acceleration of its Gen4 challenger, which is seen as a large improve to the present Gen3 evo equipment.

“If Max received within the Gen4 automotive, I feel he’d adore it,” stated Dodds. “600 kilowatts of uncooked energy, everlasting all-wheel drive, 70% extra energy than the present automotive, lap instances that will not be a lot completely different to a System 1 automotive within the new period, immediate torque, so immediate violence, put your foot down, you are at 100 kilometres in 1.8 seconds, a lot quicker than his present System 1 automotive, a lot quicker than a GT3 automotive, I really assume he’d adore it.

“I will hold teasing him and welcoming him to come back and have a go.”

Dodds understands why Verstappen doesn’t like 2026 F1 vehicles
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing

Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Pictures through Getty Pictures

Dodds believes that Verstappen’s frustration stems from the basic philosophy behind F1’2026 guidelines, which considerably enhance {the electrical} contribution of the facility unit whereas retaining the inner combustion engine.

Underneath the brand new rules, electrical energy will account for roughly half of the entire output, marking the largest energy unit overhaul in additional than a decade.

“What he stated isn’t a shock to me. I am paraphrasing Max now, he might disagree, but when I boil it down, what he is actually saying is that he feels compromised within the automotive,” Dodds defined.

“He feels prefer it’s not foot-down, uncooked, flat-out racing. He feels prefer it’s a unique racing type as a result of there is a compromise of applied sciences within the automotive, and he is not having fun with that as a lot. Thus far. He might be taught to adore it, time will inform.

“In System 1, you have all the time needed to protect one thing. This automotive’s about preserving vitality, however you have all the time needed to protect tyres or gas or one thing. There’s all the time been technique in racing, and this can be a completely different technique.

“However [in 2026], I’d say that it is a pulling collectively of two applied sciences, after which they’re making an attempt to make that work a bit.

“After all, you must have new electrical know-how, as a result of that is the best way the world is shifting, however equally, they wish to retain the combustion engine, to retain the sound and the legacy and the historical past and the character of the driving type.

“Whereas in System E, we have solely ever been electrical, so we optimise our racing format and our type of driving round one single know-how, and I feel Max is discovering that fairly tough on this System 1 automotive, as a result of it is a compromise of two applied sciences.

“However I additionally assume it’s extremely tough for them, as a result of in some respect, the strain of the producers will likely be that we should be electrical, as a result of that is the best way the world’s going, and we’re making an attempt to develop know-how via the System 1 programme.

“However equally, they wish to retain the fan base, the historical past, the type of driving and the noise and every little thing that goes with it, which implies it’s extremely tough to discover a steadiness for that.”

Photographs from Jeddah ePrix – Friday

Nick Cassidy, Citroen Racing