Norris backs shorter F1 races: Battery management is 'not what this sport is about'

Lando Norris has backed F1's decision to shorten grand prix distances from 305km to 290km from 2027, calling it a necessary compromise in response to the sport's new power unit rules. The McLaren driver argues that this year's hybrid engines put too much emphasis on battery management, and that racing should be decided by drivers extracting the most from their cars — not by who can save energy best.

Why it matters:

• The shorter distance is a direct response to the 2027 power unit changes, which increase fuel flow and boost combustion engine output to 420kW.
• Many drivers have complained that the 2026 power units make overtaking and racecraft secondary to battery deployment.
• Norris's support highlights a wider concern: F1's current formula is rewarding energy management over driving skill.

The details:

• From 2027, the maximum race distance will be reduced from 305km to 290km.
• Norris says drivers won't have to think about the battery as often next year: "It's not that you push harder, you're just not having to think about the battery as often as you are this year, which is what we want as drivers."
• He called the change "a good compromise" and "a short-term compromise" needed to make the sport better.
• "This is not what this sport is about; it's about which drivers can extract the most from the car, and that's not what we're seeing this year," he added.

What's next:

• Norris expects the traditional 305km distance to return in the future once all engine manufacturers agree to more fuel and bigger tanks.
• F1 and the FIA are already evaluating the next era of power unit regulations.