Max Verstappen could not help but laugh after driving the latest generation of Formula 1 cars around a lap of Silverstone in Red Bull's simulator, saying "you barely have battery around the lap."
New regulations for the start of the 2026 season have put added emphasis on electrical power, with nearly 50% of the car's peak power output coming from the hybrid engine's battery.
Verstappen has been critical of the new rules from the opening preseason test, labelling them "anti-racing" and like "Mario Kart" at early rounds this year.
Following the Japanese Grand Prix in March, he said he would consider leaving F1 if changes were not introduced for 2027, which was a contributing factor to the sport agreeing to reduce battery power to 42% of the peak power output for next season.
The 2026 generation of cars have suited some tracks more than others, with low-speed Monaco presenting no major issues while drivers regularly ran out of battery power on high-speed circuits like Australia's Albert Park and Japan's Suzuka.
Following his second place finish at Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix, Verstappen suggested Silverstone, which will host the British Grand Prix this weekend, could be one of the worst circuits yet.
"Silverstone, I love the track, but I did a few laps on the simulator and I just started laughing," Verstappen said. "It felt like a different track, to be honest. You barely have battery around the lap.
"It's just constantly flat [on the throttle]. So yes, it's going to feel very different compared to what we are used to around Silverstone, because of the layout of the track.
"Here [in Austria] you have long straights and big braking zones, so you can charge the battery. There you have long straights but in a fast corner, for example, so you can't really charge the batteries, and then the next straight you don't have a lot [of electrical energy] to spend.
"It's going to be a tough one."
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Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc confirmed that some circuits are worse than others, adding that last year's cars were more fun to drive.
"If you ask me what do I prefer between this year's cars or last year's cars, I think last year's cars," he said. "It's getting better, but still, you've got this energy management in mind on a track like this [Austria's Red Bull Ring], by example.
"It was less the case in Barcelona or in Monaco, but there are still those tracks where you've got to keep that in mind, and that is a little bit less pleasure inside the car. But it's like this for now. I'm sure things will improve."