Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has revealed why he would want Max Verstappen to drive one of the sport’s new Gen4 cars over seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Max Verstappen made headlines earlier this month after he compared F1’s new regulations for the 2026 season to ‘Formula E on steroids’. The comment left him in hot water with F1’s bosses as he continued to voice his criticisms with the new ruleset.
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The four-time world champion later clarified that his words were not meant as a criticism towards the all-electric racing series, but rather a concern for the trajectory of F1, which has become iconic over the years for its full-throttle, on-the-limit racing.
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds responded to Verstappen’s comments by sending him an open invitation to test one of the series’ cars, highlighting how he thinks the Red Bull star would ‘love’ the experience.
During a recent interview with RacingNews365 at Formula E’s official launch of its Gen4 car, Dodds was asked who he would choose as his dream driver to get behind the wheel of its new challenger.
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The British executive had two names in mind, replying, “Look, I’m a Brit. So, on one hand, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Having Lewis in the car, as a proud Brit who has grown up watching him and his journey, that would be amazing.
“I think, as a generational talent, Max is obviously somebody you’d love to see in this car. But motorsport is much bigger than Formula E and Formula 1.
“There are incredible racing drivers across all forms of motorsport. So I think there’s a load of different drivers from different disciplines I would love to see here. I think, if I could only pick one that wasn’t a Formula E driver, I’d probably choose Max.”
It’s unknown whether Verstappen responded to Dodds’ message about the opportunity to test a Formula E car, but he has given his approval on the sport’s new machine.
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Antonio Felix da Costa, the 2019-20 Formula E world champion, revealed to Motorsport Week that Verstappen texted him after the sport’s new car was announced, highlighting his enthusiasm over it.
He said, “I have a cool story, which is from when the Gen3 was revealed. One of the first messages I got was from Max Verstappen, and he was like, ‘I’m not sure about this one’.
“Yesterday, when it went out, one of the first messages I got was from Max Verstappen saying, ‘This is cool!’ So yeah, if the F1 guys are validating it, that’s a cool thing as well, and I think it’s just great for the series.”
