Engine guru confirms Max Verstappen was right: 'I already had this view'

Max Verstappen made clear from the outset that he is not a fan of the current F1 power unit. Far from it.

Verstappen has at least garnered support for his critical point of view from renowned engine guru Mario Illien, the co-founder of Ilmor and the engineer behind years of Mercedes power units in F1.

Illien agrees with the four-time F1 champion that the balance between the combustion and electric in today's Formula 1 cars is wrong.

The Swiss engine designer, who has won numerous titles throughout his career, made his views clear in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365.

"I think there's just too much electric power in them," said Illien.

"I think the hybrid concept is fine, but not in this proportion. Racing with so much electric power shouldn't be a handicap. Moreover, it's very complex and very expensive, and it doesn't make the fans any more enthusiastic.

"It's not exciting on TV either when you see cars having to give up after just two-thirds of the straight. The driver's role becomes less important, and now software, and how you use it, is becoming more important than the racing itself."

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Illien knows he and Verstappen are right

Verstappen has been one of the most outspoken critics of the current power unit era. During pre-season testing in Bahrain earlier this year, the Red Bull driver delivered a scathing verdict on the regulations, comparing the heavy energy management demands to racing in Formula E.

"As a driver, the feeling is not very Formula 1-like," Verstappen said at the time. "It feels a bit more like Formula E on steroids.

"As a pure driver, I enjoy driving flat out, and at the moment, you cannot drive like that. A lot is going on, a lot of what you do as a driver, in terms of inputs, which have a massive effect on the energy, and for me, that's just not Formula 1, and maybe it would be better to drive in Formula E, right, because that's all about energy efficiency and management."

When RacingNews365 pointed out that Illien's comments echo those remarks from Verstappen, the Swiss expert did not hesitate to agree.

"Yes," said Illien. "I already had this view before it all started. It was clear to me early on that this is how it would turn out."

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The solution for F1?

The FIA is working on shifting the ratio between the internal combustion engine and electric power from the current 52/48 split to 58/42 next season, and 60/40 in 2028. Illien does not see that as a bad move, but stopped short of calling it a fix.

Asked whether that shift would be enough, he replied: "It will improve things a bit, that's for sure. But it won't solve the problem."

As for what the actual solution should be, Illien had no doubts. He said: "I think the ratio we had until last year was a good one; it worked.

"And no one really criticised it back then, because it was a sensible approach. I think it's good and useful to recover kinetic energy, that's also good for regular cars. But that kind of racing, I just miss it."