Lando Norris delivers verdict on F1 rules changes: 'We're always going to complain'

Lando Norris has stated that the modifications to the 2026 F1 cars are a step in the right direction, while acknowledging that drivers are quick to find faults.

A number of drivers voiced their dissatisfaction with the 2026 cars across the opening three events before changes were introduced ahead of Miami.

Drivers experienced the modifications for the first time in qualifying trim on Friday, when the grid was set for the sprint race.

While Norris acknowledged the progress made, he emphasised that there are still areas that require improvement.

“Some things remain as expected,” Norris told media including RacingNews365. “There are still certain points where the quicker you go, the more penalised you get.

“In the future, that's something we want to fix as drivers. You just want to be going flat out everywhere and maximising things.

“You don't want to go quicker somewhere on a qualifying lap and get penalised for it. That's just not how it should be.

“But it seems in the correct direction, and I think we're more likely to see a bigger benefit of it in other tracks.

“As drivers, you're always going to see us complain a bit, because that's what we always do, but at the same time, I think it's a step forward.”

The drivers put the modified cars through their paces in race trim for the first time in the sprint race, where Norris came out on top.

The reigning champion conceded that the effect of the changes is less obvious in race conditions.

“It’s got better for the majority of the laps in qualifying, you could push, and you're not really thinking, ‘I need a lift here earlier’ or ‘I need to not get on throttle as much’,” he said.

“It felt a little bit more normal, that was a nice thing. In the sprint race, nothing really changes at all, apart from, like, the super clips and things like that.

“But otherwise, a step in the right direction is as much as we can really ask for at the minute. The rest of it really has to come, maybe later in the year, but also into the future years.”