Formula 1’s impending introduction of hybrid engines for the 2026 season has ignited a significant debate among its global audience, teams, and even the drivers themselves. While some, like seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, champion the shift, others, notably four-time champion Max Verstappen, express strong opposition. The realm of electric vehicles in motorsport is not new; Formula E has been at its forefront since 2014, establishing itself as the premier single-seater electric championship, officially recognized by the FIA as a world championship since 2020, albeit with a smaller global following.
During a recent Formula E event in Madrid, Spain, Alberto Longo, co-founder and CEO of Formula E, shared his perspective on the ongoing comparisons between Formula E and the new direction F1 is taking. Longo expressed his confusion regarding F1’s increasing adoption of a racing philosophy akin to Formula E’s. He stated, “I don’t understand why F1 is getting closer and closer to our way of racing,” and went so far as to predict that Formula 1 would ultimately revert to its conventional format.
Longo elaborated on the founding vision for Formula E: “When we created this championship, we did it with the intention of attracting new people to the sport with races that had never been seen before.” He highlighted a convergence in the strategic focus of both championships: “Ultimately, both championships are converging towards the same type of racing: energy efficiency, not pure performance, which is what has historically been validated by motorsport fans. We offer something completely different.”
Critiquing Formula 1’s hybrid strategy, Longo asserted, “This hybrid F1 makes no sense, because it offers a type of racing that we have been doing for 12 years. It proves a bit complex for them; even the drivers don’t understand it, and that’s why we see criticism from those involved.” He underlined the significance of driver dissatisfaction: “Hearing Verstappen speak like that about his own championship is something F1 cannot tolerate, so I believe the situation will be reversed; they will return to combustion engines and be faithful to their way of racing.”