How F1 drivers were "drooling over" Formula E's Gen4 car

Formula E boss Jeff Dodds beamed with pride when several Formula 1 drivers attended the Monaco E-Prix, labelling their comments about Gen4 as his highlight of the 2025-26 season.

Reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris and several others attended Formula E’s Monaco weekend in May, which was rounds nine and 10 of the current campaign, respectively won by Nyck de Vries and Oliver Rowland.

Both drivers are in mathematical contention for the Formula E title at this weekend’s London finale that will also bid farewell to the current Gen3 cars ahead of a significant jump to Gen4 next season.

It will be the all-electric championship’s fastest machine yet with a top speed of 208mph and a peak power output of 804bhp – approximately 70% more powerful than its predecessor – while being the only single-seater with permanent all-wheel drive.

So when asked at the ExCeL for his standout moment of the current campaign, Dodds said: “My highlight was standing in the paddock in Monaco, seeing drivers like Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Nico Hulkenberg and Oliver Bearman drooling over the Gen4 car.

“Listening to Lando saying, ‘600 kilowatts of power, permanent all-wheel drive, what more do you need in a race car?’, and listening to him talk about [how] the 20 drivers in Formula E could easily be competing in Formula 1.

Lando Norris, Jeff Dodds

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

“So, so many memories, it’s all positive. But to culminate here, coming to this race again having no idea who will stand on top of that podium come Sunday evening as a world champion, makes it incredible.”

Although there are nine drivers that could win the title, realistically it will be one of the top four – Jake Dennis, Mitch Evans, Pascal Wehrlein and Rowland – with only 14 points between them.

Dennis, Wehrlein and reigning champion Rowland are looking to join Jean-Eric Vergne as the only drivers with multiple Formula E titles, whereas race wins record holder Evans is remarkably still seeking his maiden crown.

“Whoever wins, if it’s one of those top four, there’s an incredible story behind it,” added Dodds. “In Jake Dennis, Pascal Wehrlein and Oli Rowland you’ll have a two-time world champion and in Oli Rowland a back-to-back world champion.

“You’ve got two British drivers [Dennis and Rowland] fighting for a world championship on home soil but if it’s Mitch Evans, Mitch has been on the championship podium four times, runner-up three times.

“In Mitch Evans his last season with Jaguar going from bridesmaid to bride in terms of being so close, so many times.

“So whoever stands on top of that podium come Sunday night, there’s an incredible story to be told.”

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– The Motorsport.com Team