Having previously derided Max Verstappen’s reaction to the cars of 2026, Lando Norris now admits he agrees with the four-time world champion.
When Verstappen suggested the new cars are like “Formula E on steroids”, Norris said the Dutchman should consider retiring if he really felt like that, insisting that he’d had “a lot of fun” in the MCL40.
Now, after a few more days in his title challenger, the Briton appears to have had a Damascene conversion.
“I didn’t want to come out into the media and complain to everyone on the first weekend back,” said Norris, referring to his previous comments. “I just wanted to say that and see what the reaction was of everyone.
“It’s been quite an amusing week,” he continued, “and it certainly made a lot of people comment and say a lot of things.
“I do agree with basically every other driver,” he admitted, “because I think every other driver has made their comments pretty clear.
“I didn’t want to come out into the media and complain to everyone on the first weekend back. I want to still enjoy my time and just say what I feel.
“I had fun last week,” he insisted. “I’ve still been having fun out there now. And I think we know as a championship with the FIA and with Formula 1, we’re trying to improve the car that we have now, because it’s certainly not the purest form of racing, and that’s what Formula 1 should be.
“A lot of the driving is focused on just trying to get the battery to work properly and less focused on how can you, as a driver, get everything out of the car,” he explained.
Never mind Lando, Stefano has a cunning plan.