World champion Lando Norris has weighed in on the recent changes to Formula 1’s technical regulations, reassuring fans and drivers alike that the upcoming races will not be vastly different under the new rules. Despite some drivers’ concerns about the new racing style, Norris emphasized that the modifications represent a step in the right direction.
Max Verstappen, a vocal critic of the current regulations, has referred to the sport’s new format as “Mario Kart” due to the increased emphasis on energy management strategies, such as battery usage. Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, several minor adjustments were introduced, including a reduction in energy harvesting and a lowered cap on the boost button.
Norris acknowledged the constraints in rule changes but expressed satisfaction with the progress. “It’s tough to go that much further. There’s only so much you can do with the rules that you have to keep things within,” he stated. “We would all have liked more in the direction that they’ve gone. The race really isn’t going to be that different. Qualifying should be a bit more flat-out qualifying-style laps, which is a nice thing. It’s what we want [as] the drivers, so I think we have to be happy with the amount of changes that they’ve done.”
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He also hinted that more significant improvements are needed in the future, though such changes will take time to develop. “We’ve done a good job in trying to improve things. The bigger things and the things we want more in the future are the things I’m going to take more time on,” Norris added.
Meanwhile, Verstappen, who is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, suggested that he could still consider leaving the sport. Reflecting on this, he said, “Nothing new to be honest. I still have time and I’m taking my time.” Despite his reservations, Verstappen welcomed the ongoing dialogue between drivers and F1 officials, including the FIA.
“We had some nice meetings with Formula One and the FIA,” Verstappen explained. “I think that’s probably a starting point, hopefully, for the future. Even, you know, in a few years’ time when maybe I’m not here anymore, I really hope that for the future drivers as well, there’s more input to come from the drivers to the organisers in general.”
Although the recent tweaks have been described by Verstappen as a mere “tickle,” he acknowledged that major reform is necessary to elevate the sport. “It needs a bit more than a tickle for next year, that’s for sure,” he admitted. “F1 is a very complex and political sport. But I think everyone has tried their best to at least do something. I hope [for] more and more [driver input].”
Verstappen also reflected on the long-term perspective, adding, “If we would have had that five, maybe even before, like five, six years ago, we probably wouldn’t have been in the state that we are in now.”
Echoing Verstappen’s call for greater driver involvement, Lewis Hamilton has also urged the sport’s governing bodies to include drivers more directly in decision-making processes. “All the drivers work together, we do meet but we don’t have a seat at the table,” Hamilton said. “We engage with the FIA and Formula One, but we are not stakeholders, we don’t have a seat at the table which I think needs to change.”
Hamilton stressed that drivers want to collaborate, not criticize, for the betterment of the sport. “We are here to work with them. We want the sport to succeed, so we need to be working together,” he said. “It is like a broken record, it is small baby steps each time. But I have no doubt that we will get there.”