Max Verstappen 'private feedback' called for from unique opportunity

Jeff Dodds, the CEO of Formula E, has made it clear that he would love for Max Verstappen to privately test the series' new Gen4 car and deliver feedback.

Verstappen brought Formula E into the spotlight in F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain in February when he described Formula 1's latest spec of machinery, with a 50-50 power split between combustion and electrical energy, as "Formula E on steroids".

The four-time F1 champion's criticism of F1 has been unwavering ever since, leading to speculation he could leave the sport at the end of the season, although many doubt he will do so, including his father, Jos, and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

With the Gen4 able to accelerate faster than an F1 car, and with its lap times drawing closer to F1, Dodds feels Verstappen would be able to provide a strong assessment of the car.

"Obviously, I sent my cheeky messages to Max after his comments in pre-season testing," said Dodds, speaking on this week's RacingNews365 podcast.

"But I was talking to James Rossiter, our test driver and development driver, and if Max were to jump in this car, he would have never driven anything like this.

"Max wouldn't have driven anything that can accelerate 30 per cent faster than his Formula 1 car, not that I'm aware of anyway, with permanent all-wheel drive. It's very different, and because it's electric, there is no gear change. It's straight-line power application.

"It would be pretty exciting for us, privately, to hear his feedback in driving something like that, to see what the sensation is for someone who is a generational talent.

"But it is interesting the crossover, that 10 of the 20 Formula E drivers are, in some way, shape or form, working with a Formula 1 team, whether it's sim work, development driving, or in an advisory capacity on how to drive electric cars.

"We're coming closer together, in some respects, in terms of the conversation, and them talking about electric, whether that it's difficult to drive electric cars, the clipping is difficult, it's a different style of racing, all that's doing for us is bringing more people to look at our championship, to understand how it works and what's going on there, and I'm excited about that."