Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton defended after handing F1 stern criticism

Former F1 driver David Coulthard has defended both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton after the pair offered stern criticism of the new power unit regulations.

The first of two three-day tests in Bahrain saw several drivers speak out against the new regulations, with Hamilton telling the media that the new cars feel slower than GP2, now known as Formula 2.

Hamilton made his comments on Wednesday evening, before Verstappen described the feeling of having to save so much energy as like "Formula E on steroids".

Energy management has proven a major talking point, with onboard footage showing several cars decreasing in speed towards the end of a straight as the battery depletes.

Lift-and-coast techniques to recharge the battery are set to be a key feature, something many drivers have spoken out against due to the significant reduction in speed across parts of a lap.

Asked if he can understand the frustration of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard told talkSPORT: "I can because they've lost an element of what they previously had.

"So, you know, if I was to give you an iPhone 3 — even though it was brand new — you're not going to thank me for it because it's a bit less advanced.

"But in the end, when the lights go out, it's racing, and the best driver will exploit the potential of all that technology to the best of his ability. But of course, I'm sure the governing body, the FIA, is not enjoying the fact that they're outspoken in a way that could be seen as negative.

"And I'm sure that Liberty Media, the owners of Formula 1, who, on the one hand, would probably prefer they weren't saying anything other than just how wonderful it is. But meanwhile, back in the real world, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

"Formula 1 is riding on the crest of a wave. Brad Pitt has just come off the back of his highest-grossing movie, the F1 movie."