Drugovich: Slick Tyres Are the One Missing Piece from Formula E's Gen4 Revolution

Felipe Drugovich believes Formula E's next-generation Gen4 car represents a genuine watershed moment for the all-electric series — but the Andretti driver insists one crucial element is still missing: slick tyres.

A Major Step Forward — With One Caveat

Drugovich, who brings an unusually broad frame of reference to Formula E having accumulated experience through F1 testing and endurance racing with Cadillac's LMDh programme, is in little doubt about the significance of the Gen4 era. Yet his endorsement comes with a clear condition.

"I think it's something that Formula E really needed," the Brazilian told Motorsport.com. "Qualifying is going to really change a lot. The car is going to become a lot quicker. I think that just the spectacle of seeing those cars ripping around the circuit is going to be a lot nicer. So it's something that Formula E needs."

But for Drugovich, the tyre question remains the elephant in the room. "I think the one thing that it really needs at the moment is slick tyres. The fans, until the point that they don't see a slick tyre on the car, they're not going to take it as a proper formula car. Some of them [at least as], some people already do. So, I think once we have them, then it's going to be complete."

It is a pointed observation. The grooved tyre has been a fixture of Formula E since the championship's inception in 2014, adopted as part of the series' commitment to sustainability — specifically to reduce the number of tyres consumed across a race weekend by deploying a single all-weather compound capable of performing in both dry and wet conditions.

The Tyre Landscape Is Already Changing

However, the Gen4 era already marks a departure from that philosophy. With Bridgestone now installed as the official tyre supplier, Formula E will introduce two distinct compounds for the first time: a primary high-performance tyre for dry conditions and a dedicated 'monsoon' tyre for extreme weather — mirroring the structure used across most major motorsport categories. The catch is that even the new dry-weather tyre will retain its grooves.

For Drugovich, that shift in philosophy makes the case for a full transition to slicks all the more compelling. If the one-tyre concept is already being abandoned, the logical next step seems obvious.

"I think that's what everyone wants to be on," he said. "Obviously, there is all the green part of the championship that doesn't want to bring a thousand tyres to the race weekend. But at the same time, next year, we're already going to have two types of tyres. So, why not have the dry one as slick? So it's quite cool. It is what it is."

With Formula E set for a historic double-header at Monaco in May 2026 — exactly the kind of high-profile showcase where the Gen4's performance credentials will be under the spotlight — the pressure to present a product that looks and feels like elite-level motorsport has never been greater. The slick tyre debate is unlikely to go away.

Simulation Data Points to an Impressive Machine

Despite his clear position on tyres, Drugovich is careful not to diminish what the Gen4 car already represents. The Brazilian is pragmatic: the headline performance gain is already secured, and that matters most.

"I think that the main step is already done. You know, the car is going to become a lot quicker. So that's the big plus," he said, before adding: "From what the simulations are saying, that Gen 4 is already a really quick car, and with slicks, it's going to be quite impressive."

Asked whether a switch to slicks could realistically happen further down the road, Drugovich was quietly optimistic. "Yeah, hopefully that's the plan. I think that's going to be quite nice."

The sentiment echoes a broader frustration that has surfaced across the Formula E paddock in recent seasons. The Berlin E-Prix underlined how the series still wrestles with its on-track identity — and for many within the championship, the visual and performance symbolism of a slick tyre remains the clearest signal that Formula E means serious business.

For Drugovich, the Gen4 car is the foundation. The slicks, when they eventually arrive, would be the finishing touch.