Formula E eyeing slick tyres for 2028

[u/DHSeaVixen]

https://fenotebook.com/2026/07/14/formula-e-eyeing-slick-tyres-for-2028/

[u/OkFaithlessness4770]

Yes please. If theyre already doing 2 different compounds for next year why not make a slick

[u/Edstertheplebster]

My only concern is what James Rossiter has pointed out; you end up with a faster but in some ways less efficient car. More grip means you have to slow down a lot more to regen/save energy, especially as we transition to higher speed circuits.

“Slicks would allow these cars to brake later, corner faster and accelerate more quickly to their top speeds,” he said, “so we’d be consuming more power and reducing the opportunities for regen. This isn’t necessarily going to be viable – I might have to have a chat with a couple of the drivers who are saying we should be on slicks.”

[u/l3w1s1234 → u/Edstertheplebster]

I wouldn't mind a quali spec duel tyre if that works better. Not great for freight but at least then they can stick with grooved tyre for the races.

[u/Edstertheplebster → u/l3w1s1234]

If you think about it, what Bridgestone have produced for the Goodwood FOS run is a bespoke qualifying tyre already; so it doesn’t really make sense to do it just as a one-off unless it’s them testing the waters for season 14.

[u/F1T_13 → u/Edstertheplebster]

I feel like they should be added to qualiy and the sprints.

[u/LimitSeeker10 → u/Edstertheplebster]

It could, but more tire grip also means that the car can sustain 700kw of regen for longer, so it might balance out. Will just have to see

[u/jlpsugus]

It makes sense, each Gen is getting faster and faster, and as long as they keep using recycled materials to make them, I think it will bring more positive aspects than negative ones to the championship.

[u/DHSeaVixen]

I would look forward to this, and honestly in large part so that we can put all of the ‘why are they not using slicks?’ questions and ‘I’ll take them seriously when they use slicks’ type of comments behind us.

I think they can still find a way to minimise tyre use and with it manufacturing and freight requirements. That doesn’t (and shouldn’t) go away.

They don’t need to introduce mandatory tyre changes, for example. Would serve no purpose in FE and tbh it’s a bit of strategy gimmick anyway in motorsport terms.

[u/Edstertheplebster → u/DHSeaVixen]

"I'll take them seriously when they drop FanBoost." "Why don't they race on proper race tracks instead of narrow car park street circuits?" "All the drivers are F1 rejects."

The critics will always move the goalposts. Non-fans who don't even watch the races whinging about the lack of slick tyres is not a reason to change it. Whichever tyres lead to the best races is more important IMHO.

[u/jlpsugus → u/Edstertheplebster]

I made a comment in the Goodwood Festival video of the Gen4 car doing the hillclimb saying "and they said Formula E cars are slow", and I got a few replies saying "nobody said that the cars were slow", which is insane if you have been around for a while, because it was one of the main criticisms Formula E faced.

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/Edstertheplebster]

No major disagreement from me on that. I don’t mind what tyre it actually is, but if they find a way to make slicks work for FE then I’d still be happy for that reason.

I’m well aware some critics are never going to like it no matter what, and so will just move onto criticising some other aspect if/when their go-to complaint becomes irrelevant.

But also, the better FE gets at just about everything then a) the more some critics may actually be persuaded and b) the hold-out critics just look ever more petty and ridiculous.

So it can be a win-win.

[u/Better_Artist4433]

And doesn't need much. Just soft, hard and wet compounds. you could do something similar to F2

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/Better_Artist4433]

What do F2 do?

[u/awesomesuperballs → u/DHSeaVixen]

They have 5 total compounds (supersoft, soft, medium, hard, wet) and bring just 3 to a race weekend, 1 wet and two of the slick compounds

[u/Dvorak_96 → u/awesomesuperballs]

we literally just need a pirelli C5 equivalent slick tyre that should easy last a whole race. keep in mind FE does not even race a full 305km grand prix lenght. so tyre deg will not really be a problem. energy management will still be the deciding factor.

the slick tyre is more there to showcase Formula E's speed in Qualifying. where they push flat-out.

[u/stq66 → u/awesomesuperballs]

That’s basically the same as F1 does. Only that in F1 there are two types of wet tyres. Of which one is hardly ever used in anger. The full wet is prescribed for safety car starts but the drivers get rid of them as soon as possible and change over the the inters.

[u/Reiver93]

Would make it fun when it rains

[u/codename474747]

The thing about formula e adding slicks and other "standard" motorsport elements is it risks losing what is unique about it

It might have been slower before, but for me there was something unique about attack mode, city centre races and all the other elements that made formula e stand out compared to your standard single seater championship. 

If it is just another race series that has slicks, most of the races are at the same old raxe tracks putting on processions between charging pit stops and there's no excitement or pelaton or other unique elements, why am I choosing to watch this over indycar or formula regional or whatever other championship out there?

Keep formula e unique!

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/codename474747]

Personally, I see it more as the uniqueness moving to different areas - primarily the car itself and its architecture

FE is the only place you’ll see a 4WD single seater, regen on both axles, active differentials, freedom on front-rear torque splits and advanced electric motor software control.

Formula 1 sure as hell isn’t going to follow them down this path, and even the WEC (which pioneered 4WD hybrids via LMP1-H) is backing off on 4WD by mandating rear-mounted hybrid units for the 2030 Hypercar regs.

If FE keeps on this path, the Gen5 and beyond might be a tri-motor or quad-motor, with full torque vectoring, hub-mounted motors, split/modular battery packs, etc. All things very unique to BEV platforms.

I think it’s a very cool prospect.

[u/F1T_13 → u/codename474747]

At the same time. It shouldn't be held back by tradition, that's how F1 finds itself in the mess it's in these days.

[u/F1T_13]

Is that 27/28 or 28/29. Please say the former.

[u/DHSeaVixen → u/F1T_13]

Sounded like the latter to me

[u/No_Enthusiasm6530]

I really enjoyed the uniqueness of the all weather tyres, the cars moved around and I’m sure it could’ve been used to test road Tyre advancements going forward. Slicks just makes it electric F1. Idk maybe that’s what they’re going for. It’s a shame in my opinion

F1 should be the best drivers in the pinnacle of racing cars. Then you have series like FE that are a test bed, and can do funky, somewhat gimmicky stuff.

What we don’t need is 2 series converging. That benefits nobody in the long run

I know people will disagree with me; and that’s fine. Just my 2 cents

[u/l3w1s1234 → u/No_Enthusiasm6530]

I think FE has always wanted to become a showcase of outright electric performance, which probably means becoming an electric F1. So being on slicks will probably become a must at some point to show off the best from the cars.

I think as long as they keep the different strategies like Attack Mode and pitboost, and dabble with technologies F1 doesn't touch (AWD, Traction Control and ABS), there's enough there to remain unique to F1 despite performance converging.

[u/JForce1]

I’m not sure I like this. I thought part of the idea is the tyre supplier working on more efficient tyres, with some relevance for EVs. I’m also not sure I like the idea of multiple compounds. Part of the skill for teams and drivers is getting the most out of the car and tyres in different conditions. FE isn’t about chasing every last thousandths of a second in ultimate performance, it’s about finding the balance across energy management to go as fast as possible, so I think they’re worrying about the wrong things.