Lando Norris has openly criticized the new Formula One regulations this season, describing them as a step backwards for the sport. The McLaren driver, preparing to defend his title at the Australian Grand Prix, expressed frustration with the current car performance after qualifying in sixth position, trailing pole-sitter George Russell by nearly a second.
Norris lamented the shift from previous seasons, stating, “We’ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula One, and the nicest to drive, to probably the worst. It sucks.” He highlighted the problematic balance between combustion and electrical power in the new hybrid engines, which require drivers to carefully manage battery health throughout the lap—a challenge he describes as “50-50 split” that “just doesn’t work.”
“The issues are clear,” Norris continued. “You have to decelerate much earlier before corners and lift significantly to conserve battery energy, but if the battery pack is too high, that creates other problems.” Despite the difficulties, he acknowledged these are the conditions they must accept, noting that while he finds the driving experience frustrating, some competitors, like George Russell, may actually be benefiting.
READ MORE: Somerset Nursery Praised for Safety and Warmth but Urged to Improve Learning Outcomes
READ MORE: £15 Million Investment Approved to Reopen Yeovil’s Iconic Octagon Theatre
Compounding Norris’ tough qualifying session was an incident involving debris on track. As Kimi Antonelli blurred out of the pits, two cooling fans were accidentally left on the sidepod of his Mercedes. One fan landed in the gravel, and the other ended up on the racing line, which Norris ran over, causing extensive damage to his front wing that had to be patched with duct tape during Q3.
Norris explained the hazard, saying, “I was focused on the steering wheel and monitoring my speed to judge braking points, so I didn’t see the debris until it was too late.” This incident added to an already challenging day for the McLaren driver as he navigates a difficult start to the season under the new regulatory framework.