F1 British Grand Prix: Max Verstappen ‘bursts out laughing’ over Silverstone preparation

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen ‘bursts out laughing’ as Mario Kart Silverstone fears emerge

The British Grand Prix is next weekend

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 29 June 2026 22:00 Updated: 22:30

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Max Verstappen has admitted that he couldn't help but laugh after driving the 2026 F1 cars around Silverstone for the first time in the simulator ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix.

F1 returns to the Silverstone Circuit this weekend for what is the ninth round of the 2026 season, with the British Grand Prix being one of the most iconic events on the entire calendar.

It has never been a favourite track of Verstappen's. The four-time world champion has only won the British GP once, and got booed by the fans when he did step onto the top step of the podium in 2023.

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He and British favourite Lewis Hamilton's rivalry has often turned the British crowd against Verstappen, and he will likely face more of the same this year.

But, this year, the Dutchman is also facing the challenge of driving the new F1 cars around the circuit, cars which he has been heavily critical of in the past.

Verstappen has described the 2026 cars as 'anti-racing', even joking about swapping his simulator for a Nintendo to play Mario Kart instead.

And his first experience racing around the British track has not changed his mind.

Max Verstappen amused by lack of power at Silverstone

Verstappen has said that it amused him when he was racing around Silverstone on the simulator in a 2026 car.

The track is well known for its high-speed sections, and he suggested that the cars may really struggle with power output during the course of a lap there, having had their reliance on electrical energy tripled for 2026.

"Silverstone, I love the track, but I did a few laps on the simulator, I just started laughing," the Red Bull star said.

"It felt like a different track, to be honest. You barely have battery around the lap. It’s just constantly flat.

"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.

"Here you have long straights and big braking zones, so you can charge the battery.

"There you have long straights but in a fast corner, for example, so you can’t really charge the batteries, and then the next straight you don’t have a lot to spend. It’s going to be a tough one."

F1 2026 British Grand Prix schedule

These are the confirmed Formula 1 session times for the 2026 British Grand Prix next weekend:

British Grand Prix Schedule
Session	Date	Local time (BST)	US Eastern (EDT)
Practice 1	Friday July 3	12:30-13:30	07:30-08:30
Sprint Qualifying	Friday July 3	16:30-17:14	11:30-12:14
Sprint	Saturday July 4	12:00-13:00	07:00-08:00
Qualifying	Saturday July 4	16:00-17:00	11:00-12:00
Race	Sunday July 5	15:00	10:00