Norris on 2026 F1 Cars: 'Different Ways' to Find Pace

Reigning World Champion Lando Norris says extracting performance from Formula 1's radically new 2026 cars will require "different ways" of driving at every circuit, calling the regulatory overhaul one of the biggest changes he's had to adapt to. After initial testing, Norris emphasized that understanding the new machines is a complex, track-specific puzzle that teams are just beginning to solve.

Why it matters:

The 2026 regulation changes represent the most significant technical shift in over a decade, fundamentally altering car dynamics and driver technique. How quickly a top driver and his team adapt to these new parameters could define the early pecking order of the new era, making the learning curve a critical competitive factor.

The details:

• Norris described the 2026 car as a major departure, stating, "It's certainly one of the biggest changes I've had to get used to."
• He highlighted that solutions will be circuit-dependent: "Every track we're going to go to, there's going to be different ways of doing it, figuring it all out."
• The new rules replace DRS with active aerodynamics and introduce power units with a 50-50 split between electrical energy and the internal combustion engine.
• Despite the challenge, Norris expressed satisfaction with the initial test, noting his team understood the basic outlines of how the new systems operate.
• He also shared the simple thrill of returning to the cockpit: "It's just nice to be back in a car, get that little feeling of the G-Force."

What's next:

The focus now shifts to the final pre-season test in Bahrain on February 11-13, where teams will gather crucial data in different conditions. The real test of adaptation begins at the season opener, where the theories developed over winter will face immediate competitive scrutiny.