Max Verstappen expects Silverstone will seriously expose the shortcomings of Formula 1’s new cars following a recent test in Red Bull’s simulator.
F1 will head to the track next week for the British Grand Prix but Verstappen warned the cars will be hamstrung by their power units on the high-speed circuit.
“Silverstone, I love the track,” said Verstappen, who has won two grands prix at the circuit. “But I did a few laps on the simulator and I just started laughing.”
Due to its many high-speed corners, drivers will have limited opportunities to charge their batteries. This is expected to significantly reduce the speeds they reach before the track’s signature corners such as Copse, Maggotts and Becketts, diminishing the challenge of a circuit which is a favourite of many drivers.
“It felt like a different track, to be honest,” said Verstappen. “You barely have battery around the lap. It’s just constantly flat [out].”
“So it’s going to feel very different compared to what we are used to around Silverstone, because of the layout of the track.
“Here 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 to spend. It’s going to be a tough one.”
What goes for Silverstone is likely to be even more so for the following track on the calendar, Spa-Francorchamps. The track which plays host to the Belgian Grand Prix has longer straights, a longer overall lap distance and faster corners.
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Published by
Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 – when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing. View all posts by Keith Collantine