The debate over slick tyres in Formula E has roared back to life, and this time, it's Felipe Drugovich leading the charge. The Andretti driver believes that the all-electric series' stunning new Gen4 car is missing just one crucial element—proper racing slicks.

Formula E turned heads late last year when it unveiled its next-generation racer. With a peak power output of 600kW (805bhp) and permanent all-wheel drive, the Gen4 car is expected to lap faster than current Formula 2 machinery and edge closer to Formula 1 pace. It's a massive technical leap forward, but one key feature remains unchanged: the tyres.

Since its debut in 2014, Formula E has relied on a single all-weather tyre designed to handle both dry and wet conditions. While that approach helped reduce the championship's environmental footprint, it has also drawn criticism from fans and drivers who argue that grooved tyres make the cars look less like "proper" racing machinery.

Drugovich, who has experience in F1 testing and endurance racing with Cadillac's LMDh programme, didn't hold back when sharing his thoughts. "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."

But for Drugovich, the car's potential won't be fully realized until slicks enter the picture. "I think the one thing that it really needs at the moment is slick tyres," he said. "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 already do, but I think once we have them, then it's going to be complete."

The timing of this debate is no coincidence. With the Gen4 era comes a new tyre supplier—Bridgestone—and a shift to a two-compound system. For the first time, Formula E will offer a dedicated high-performance tyre for dry conditions and a separate 'monsoon' tyre for wet weather. That's a major step forward, but it still stops short of the full slicks used in Formula 1 and other top-tier championships.

When asked if he could see Formula E eventually making the switch, Drugovich was optimistic. "Yeah, hopefully that's the plan. I think that's going to be quite nice."

For fans and drivers alike, the message is clear: Formula E's Gen4 car is a masterpiece of engineering, but the final piece of the puzzle might just be a set of slick tyres. Whether the series will take that step remains to be seen, but the conversation is far from over.