'Bigger changes needed' - Lando Norris' mid-season verdict on F1's new era

Lando Norris believes that "bigger changes will need to come" in order to return Formula 1 to where the drivers want it to be, while reflecting on the current state of the championship.

The new-for-2026 F1 regulations were met with a largely negative reaction from teams, drivers and fans alike, with many quick to point out that problems such as yoyo-racing and superclipping were having a negative effect on the spectacle. Both of these issues had been predicted by drivers, most notably Max Verstappen, and while efforts had been made to limit problems, it was quickly evident that the fixes were a long way from what was required.

In recent weeks, at energy-starved tracks Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, the battery usage and speed graphics were removed from the broadcast. While F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has since claimed that fans are not interested in such details, these comments met with a response that suggests otherwise; the fact that they returned at the energy-rich Hungaroring has seen suggestions that F1 was attempting to mask the problem from fans.

“As we’ve said a few times, these regulations are a bit of a departure from what’s come before, but what we are seeing is more intense racing, more overtaking and more battles," said Norris. 

"It’s important to find the right balance, so that as drivers and teams, we can make the difference on track and deliver exciting racing, but that’s where work is ongoing.  

“In terms of where F1 is as a sport, it’s clearly the healthiest it’s ever been, and we’ve all seen the benefits of that - fans, drivers and teams. F1 will always be great, and I know everyone involved in the sport, me included, is passionate about making it even better still. 

"Sometimes we try to use our voice to improve the sport and that doesn’t always come across the right way, that passion can get the better of us, and it might be the case that in an ideal world we as drivers we would want something a bit different."

F1 and the FIA have repeatedly stated that they take onboard feedback from the drivers, and Norris believes that this is a positive change from years gone by. 

“What is important – and different from the past – is that we know we can go and speak to Stefano [Domenicali], to [FIA president] Mohammed [Ben Sulayem] and have those discussions, but we live in the real world where it’s just not always possible to do everything we as drivers want.  

“We’ve made some good progress this year already, and we know bigger changes will need to come across the next few seasons. We all know that if we can make the racing as exciting as possible, we can make the sport even more enjoyable for the fans, and that’s what we’re working towards achieving.”