F1 Urged to Accept Formula E as Its Motorsport 'Sibling'

Formula 1 has been told to accept the reality that it can no longer stand apart from Formula E, with David Coulthard describing the two championships as "siblings" under the same ownership. The 13-time grand prix winner argues that F1's own hybrid evolution is blurring the line, making the relationship unavoidable.

Why it matters:

F1's move to 50-50 hybrid power units this season has thrust energy management into the spotlight — a domain where Formula E has been the pioneer for over a decade. As drivers wrestle with lift-and-coast strategies and battery deployment, the gap between the two series is shrinking. Embracing FE's progress could reshape how F1 approaches its own technical development and public narrative.

The details:

• Coulthard tested FE's Gen4 car on the streets of Monaco and was left stunned: "I've never experienced that in my life."
• Multiple F1 drivers attended the Monaco E-Prix — Lando Norris, Oliver Bearman, Nico Hulkenberg, Carlos Sainz, and Gabriel Bortoleto — with Norris originally slated to drive the Gen4 before scheduling conflicts.
• Max Verstappen coined current F1 as "FE on steroids" after pre-season testing, highlighting the shared focus on energy recovery and deployment.
• Coulthard notes that F1's traditional distance from FE is fading: "Even though they're part of the same family, there was always this 'That's FE, and we're F1.' The reality is they're siblings."
• FE has grown massively since 2014, earning FIA world championship status in 2020, and its Gen4 cars have turned heads ahead of next season's debut.

What's next:

As both series continue to push hybrid and electric technology, the convergence will only deepen. Coulthard sees acceptance as inevitable: "The world's moving, the world's going to collide, isn't it?" For F1, recognizing FE as a peer rather than a distant cousin may become a strategic necessity — not just a courtesy.