FE veteran di Grassi tears into F1’s ‘badly designed’ new era

Veteran Formula E charger Lucas di Grassi has pulled no punches in his verdict on Formula 1’s 2026-generation cars, declaring that the sport’s latest hybrid regulations have been “extremely badly” executed.

The Brazilian, a former Virgin Racing driver in F1 and a series champion in FE in 2016/17, didn’t hold back when critiquing the FIA’s approach, joining a growing chorus of heavy hitters – including Max Verstappen – who fear that Formula 1 is sacrificing raw speed for overly complex energy games.

For di Grassi, the issue isn't the shift toward electrification, but the clumsy execution by the sport’s governing body.

The Brazilian, who has competed at the highest levels of endurance racing and F1, believes the new ruleset has neutered the cars' combat effectiveness and overall efficiency.

A Design Disaster

“The hybrid rules of F1 are extremely badly designed,” di Grassi said, speaking to Motorsport.com.

“It's not only the fault of the hybrid system. It's the rules which are decided by the FIA, and some people within the FIA who decided the rules [who are at fault].

“I don't know the logic behind those rules, but there are very weird rules. And for F1, which makes the car very slow and sometimes not very efficient or not very raceable, which [is why] the drivers are complaining.”

The complaints are already loud. Verstappen has famously dubbed the new era "Formula E on steroids," lamenting a shift where "management" replaces flat-out driving. Di Grassi confirmed that the dissatisfaction isn't just media bluster; it's a reality being felt in the simulators.

“Yeah, I spoke to a few,” he said when asked about his contact with current F1 stars. “I spoke to some people who are driving on the simulator, and the rules are very weird. On some tracks, it creates a lot of problems.”

Formula E Set to Become Faster than F1?

While F1 fumbles with its "weird" rules, di Grassi is issuing a bold – or even outlandish – warning: Formula E is coming for the crown.

With the 800bhp Gen4 machines on the horizon, the veteran charger believes the electric series is on a trajectory that will eventually leave F1 in its wake, potentially flipping the entire hierarchy of global motorsport.

“My point is that Formula E will be the fastest cars in the world in a couple of years,” di Grassi declared.

“It depends on us to come up with a good improvement for Gen 4.5 and Gen 5. We have the potential. So what happens when Formula E is way faster than F1?

“Will the best drivers in the world drive Formula E? Will people consider Formula E drivers are now finally better than Formula 1 drivers because the car is faster?

Or Formula 1 drivers will come here to drive these cars also? Maybe they do two programmes. Formula E becomes a winter series. Formula 1 becomes a summer series, and you can do maybe both. I don't know.”

The Brazilian's pugnacious prediction doesn't stop at mere parity. He expects the electric series to eventually humiliate F1 on its most legendary stages.

• Read also: Verstappen savages new-generation F1 cars as ‘FE on steroids’

“Naturally, that's how it's going to go,” he added. “If there will be a political force bearing this, then I don't know. But naturally, the Formula E car will be way faster than F1.

“I would say at Monaco, maybe not this year, not the Gen 4, but one or two years after Gen 4 [into the next cycle], maybe [Formula E cars will be] two-three-four-five seconds faster than F1. Four-by-four, traction control, it's going to be good.”

For a driver who has seen top-flight racing evolve from the LMP1 era to the pinnacle of Formula E, di Grassi’s verdict is unflinching: F1’s new regulations may be groundbreaking on paper, but in practice, they risk slowing the sport down and creating more headaches than innovation.

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