Lando Norris claps back at Max Verstappen in F1 regulations row: 'He can retire'

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, 2024, Photoshop, Social — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lando Norris claps back at Max Verstappen in F1 regulations row: 'He can retire'

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris fought for the title in 2025

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 14 February 2026 09:56

Reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris has told four-time world champ Max Verstappen that 'he can retire if he wants to retire'.

Norris spectacularly beat Verstappen to the title by just two points in 2025, with the title race going down to the final grand prix weekend of the season.

That came 12 months on from Verstappen comprehensively beating Norris to the title in 2024, and the pair have been involved in many on-track scuffles over the last couple of years.

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Now, heading into 2026, it's unclear as to whether either of them will be able to fight for the title, with wholesale regulation changes expected to see a shake up in the competitive order.

F1 cars are smaller, lighter and more nimble this year, while the 1.6-litre V6 hybrid engines now have a 50-50 split between electrical energy and an internal combustion engine that runs off sustainable fuels.

During Bahrain pre-season testing, a number of drivers have been critical of the new regulations, including Lewis Hamilton who said that you 'need a degree' to fully understand them, and Verstappen, who called it 'Formula E on steroids'.

Now, Norris has clapped back at Verstappen, who had also said that the new cars were 'not fun' to drive.

Norris told reporters in Bahrain: "[It was] a lot of fun; I really enjoyed it. So, yeah, if he wants to retire, he can retire.

"Formula 1 changes all the time. Sometimes it's a bit better to drive, sometimes it's not as good to drive.

"We get paid a stupid amount of money to drive, so you can't really complain at the end of the day. Any driver can go and find something else to do. It's not like he has to be here, or any driver has to be here.

"It's a challenge, but it's a good, fun challenge for the engineers, for the drivers. You have to drive it in a different way, understand and manage things differently, but I still get to drive cars and travel the world and have a lot of fun. So, nothing to complain about."

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen destroys new regulations as Project Newey hits trouble

How much management of the battery will F1 drivers need to be doing?

In order to fully utilise the 'boost' and 'overtake' modes that are on offer in 2026, F1 drivers will have to manage their battery throughout the course of the race, and even throughout the course of a one-off qualifying lap.

There are four main ways in which drivers can recharge the battery, including lifting and coasting, braking, when racing on part throttle, as well as 'super clipping', which happens at the end of a straight when the car is at full throttle.

The new energy recovery system can recharge energy twice as quickly as in 2025, so there are opportunities for drivers to really utilise the power unit's full 450 horsepower down the straights.

On top of this, if there is enough charge of the battery available, drivers will be able to utilise both the boost button and the extra 0.5 megajoules of energy from overtake mode at the same time, if they are within one second of the car ahead at the detection point.

This massive surge of energy can then used at any time throughout the lap, either to overtake another car, or defend resolutely from behind having got the pass done early in the lap.

F1 2026 REGULATIONS: What is straight mode?

F1 Max Verstappen Lando Norris 2026 regulations pre-season testing