Driving the 2026 Formula 1 cars has been an unnatural experience for drivers like George Russell, but Lando Norris says he’s had to adapt to the sport “every single year of my life.”
The all-new technical regulations have come as one of the biggest rule changes in the recent history of the sport.
Not only are the ground effects cars a thing of the past, but the 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid engines have also gone through a drastic revision.
For the first time, there is a 50-50 split between the battery and ICE components, changing the way the racing action has unfolded on track, so far this year.
While drivers like Lewis Hamilton have seemingly thrived under the new regulations, drivers like Russell have found the cars unnatural.
The Briton recently said that the 2026 cars have forced him to change his driving style, which, after 11 rounds into the season, has seen him fall behind his 19-year-old team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the championship fight.
Norris, referencing Russell’s comments, revealed that he has had to change his driving style “every single year” since his debut with McLaren in 2019.
“I mean, I’ve had to change my driving style every single year of my life,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“For him it’s worked for 20 years, for me it’s not worked. My driving style worked back in 2018 when I did my test here [in Hungary]. That’s probably about it. Ever since then I’ve had to change.”
Norris, the defending F1 champion, has had a tough title defence so far. That said, at the Hungarian GP, two weeks ago, he finally found a breakthrough with the MCL40, winning his first Grand Prix of the season at Budapest.
“Every single race I come into at the minute, I feel like I have to completely forget the last weekend and learn how to drive a new car, because that’s how it is for us,” he added.
“Every driver is different. But for me, my whole career in F1 has been about how I can change my driving style every season.”
Lando Norris delivers “not good enough” verdict on F1 2026 criticism
Russell’s comments largely stem from the fact that the latest cars are not only lighter, hence more lively under traction, but also a completely different beast in terms of energy management.
Norris’ team-mate, Oscar Piastri, has also been vocal about how the little idiosyncrasies of the power units have become a “crap way of going racing“.
The McLaren driver himself called the MCL40 probably the most difficult car he has had to drive in his entire F1 career.
Yet, Norris believes that once at the pinnacle of motorsport, a driver must make do with whatever machinery is at their disposal – whether they enjoy driving it or not.
“I think the more experience you have in F1, the better equipped you should be,” Norris explained.
“If you’re not ready to adapt to a different car, then you’re not at a good enough level.
“It’s our job, it’s what we’ve got paid millions to do. It’s to drive any car you get given, whether it’s a good one, a bad one, an easy one or a hard one. You have to do it.”
With his maiden win of 2026 under his belt, Norris will be looking forward to the Dutch GP, in late August, to finally kick off a second-half title defence.
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