Silverstone ill-suited to grid's current engines, says Verstappen

Max Verstappen fears this weekend’s British Grand Prix may fall flat, arguing that the new Formula One regulations will leave teams struggling to perform on what is considered one of the great circuits of the season.

- Giles Richards

Verstappen said he had been left laughing at how Silverstone was neutered by the current engine formula when practising for the race on a simulator.

The four-time world champion finished second at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, behind the Mercedes of George Russell, but his Red Bull showed greatly improved form after the host of upgrades the team applied at the Red Bull Ring. The place was hard-earned, given he was also suffering from a technical problem at the rear of the car in the second half of the race.

Regardless of which, he was sceptical about how that might translate into next Sunday’s race. “I love the track but I did a few laps on the simulator, I just started laughing,” he said. “It felt like a different track to be honest. You barely have battery around the lap. It’s just constantly lighthead, Thomas du Toit, at. 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.