Lando Norris has spoken out ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix about drivers who feel their speeds are being restricted by new regulations.
Published July 25, 2026
McLaren world champion Lando Norris says F1 is too dependent on business decisions and must remember that it is a sport.
The British driver told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Hungarian round that F1 could do better, especially as drivers were frustrated by new speed limits at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
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“It’s business,” said the Brit. “Everyone wants to make money, so for Audi and other teams to come in, these things had to change. It’s a shame. It should never have happened that way. But that’s how the business works.”
Audi enters the sport this season, taking over from Swiss-based Sauber, with the German carmaker encouraged by new rules that elevate the electric elements of power units to near parity with internal combustion engines. Rules have been adjusted for 2027 to reduce energy costs.
“F1 will always be great,” said Norris, who owns a Mercedes-powered car. “It could be better.
“We drivers just know it better than anyone else. The unfortunate thing is that these days F1 is so much driven by the fact that it’s a business, and not how to make the sport the best it can be. It’s ‘how can we make the most money as a business?’
“And that simply shouldn’t be the case. That’s not how the sport is run. The fact that we have hybrids, 50-50, etc., is because more teams wanted to be in it, and they make more money.”
Norris said the sport, which is owned by Liberty Media, is also divided between fans who have been following F1 since before Netflix’s popular documentary series Drive to Survive and those who have been drawn to the sport since then.
“I think fans these days are more personality-based… not just about the sport as a whole, but basically not so much about how the actual race goes, but more about ‘did the driver do well?'” he added.
“I think it’s just the fans changing over time, and that’s totally fine. But the loudest voice should always be us, the drivers…We have the best ideas about what racing should be, how it can be, what’s possible and what’s not possible.”
“We want the best of everything, the best for the fans, the best scenery, the best racing for us and the most fun to drive. And at the moment we don’t have that… we have very little, very little say. And if we can get Audi or any other team on board, it’s a bigger win than the drivers are happy with.”
In response to Norris’ comments, an F1 spokesperson said they were listening to drivers more than ever.
“Track sports will continue to be a priority,” he said. “Everyone has benefited from F1’s commercial success, including the drivers. Decisions are made with the aim of achieving the best strategic outcome for everyone: fans, teams and partners.”
Norris set the fastest time in final practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday.
Last year’s race winner lapped the Hungaroring circuit in a best time of 1 minute 17.939 seconds, 0.117 seconds faster than Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
F1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli was third, 0.129 seconds off the pace, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was seventh on the timesheets, with teammate Izak Hajar eighth, but 1.004 seconds off the pace.
