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Max Verstappen could enjoy the benefit of a secret weapon to boost Red Bull up the pecking order and challenge George Russell, Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes in 2026. The four-time world champion has struggled since the start of the season as Red Bull so far struggles to keep up pace with the Silver Arrows and Ferrari.

F1's new regulations require a delicate handle on energy management, with races now won and lost on how drivers deploy the battery and boost. It's a style of racing that has become familiar to the stars of all-electric motorsport series Formula E. Verstappen even compared the new regs to the EV series, branding the 2026 racing "Formula E on steroids".

The new rules have ensured teams have to get creative, and ex Toro Rosso driver Buemi has confirmed he has been in touch with his old squad to share some pointers. He even admitted that Red Bull were learning a lot and could get "on top" of how to control the battery sooner rather than later.

Speaking exclusively to Express Sport at the Berlin E-Prix, Buemi said: "I've been working with Red Bull for 10 years in the simulator, so of course I've been giving all the feedback I could. Energy management in F1 is becoming a big thing, so yes, there's a transfer there.

"I've worked with Red Bull so a strong link there. I've tried to bring as much information as I can for them to do better and yeah they are picking it up very quickly so I don't think it will be long until they are really on top of it."

Formula E has enjoyed a long history of F1 drivers making the jump to try their hand at the series. More than 30 former F1 stars have raced in the championship at one stage or another, including Pierre Gasly, Felipe Massa and 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve. No fewer than five of the current FE crop have raced in F1, most recently Nyck de Vries.

However, could the new battery management racing see the tables turn and see Formula E's young stars make the jump into F1? Buemi isn't so sure.

He told Express Sport: "Some of the understanding and the learning from Formula E can actually help. Whether it's best to take a Formula E driver and take him to F1, it's not for me to say.

"But a lot of the understanding and things we have been working on for 12 years are very relevant to what F1 does now. F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, they can get on top of things very quickly."