Norris, Verstappen blast F1 power unit rules after Suzuka

Norris and Verstappen Slam F1 2026 Power Unit Regulations After Japanese Grand Prix

Reigning world champion Lando Norris and four-time champion Max Verstappen continued their vocal criticism of Formula 1’s 2026 power unit regulations following Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, with Norris declaring that driver complaints are unlikely to prompt meaningful changes. Norris finished fifth and Verstappen eighth as Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli won his second consecutive race.sportingnews

‘This Is Not Racing’

Norris was blunt in his post-race assessment, describing the uncontrollable energy deployment as fundamentally contrary to racing. “Honestly some of the racing, I didn’t even want to overtake Lewis. It’s just that my battery deploys, I don’t want it to deploy, but I can’t control it,” Norris told Autosport. “So, I overtake him, and then I have no battery left, so he just flies past. This is not racing, this is yo-yoing.”autosport

The McLaren driver said drivers are powerless behind the wheel when the power unit dictates their pace. “When you’re just at the mercy of whatever the power unit delivers, the driver should be in control of it at least, and we’re not,” he said. Norris also lamented the feel of Suzuka under the new rules, saying it “hurts the soul” to watch speeds bleed away through the circuit’s famous high-speed corners.planetf1

Verstappen, who qualified only 11th and has yet to score a podium in 2026, has been the most persistent critic of the regulations since pre-season testing, when he labelled the new cars “Formula E on steroids”. At Suzuka, he said he was “beyond frustrated” with the state of the sport.autosport

Safety Fears Escalate After Bearman Crash

The debate intensified after Haas driver Oliver Bearman suffered a 50G crash at Spoon corner during the race, caused by the dramatic speed difference between his car and Franco Colapinto’s energy-harvesting Alpine ahead of him. Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director Carlos Sainz was furious, telling Sky Sports F1 that drivers had warned the FIA this would happen. “Imagine going to Baku or Singapore or Vegas and having these kind of closing speeds next to the walls,” Sainz said.gpfans

The FIA responded with a statement confirming that “a number of meetings are scheduled in April to assess the operation of the new regulations and to determine whether any refinements are required” before the Miami Grand Prix. Despite this, Norris expressed skepticism that drivers’ voices would lead to real change, saying “it doesn’t matter what we say”.gpfans

A Divided Paddock

Not everyone shares Norris and Verstappen’s frustration. Lewis Hamilton, who finished sixth for Ferrari, has defended the new rules, describing the increase in overtaking as “real racing”. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also pushed back against driver criticism before the season, saying “it’s wrong to talk bad about an incredible world that is allowing all of us to grow”. With a month-long break now before Miami, all eyes will be on whether the FIA’s April review produces changes or merely words.yahoo