F1 champion Lando Norris slammed for 'stupid performance' in new rules row

Lando Norris

Lando Norris slammed for 'stupid performance' in new rules row

Lando Norris recently performed a sudden U-turn

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 26 February 2026 15:57

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Lando Norris' pivoting opinion on the 2026 F1 cars had received a brutal reaction from one insider.

The F1 grid have been keeping Stefano Domenicali on his toes in recent weeks, after certain drivers made their negative feelings known on the 2026 machinery.

Resigned to driver management, champion Max Verstappen has likened the 2026 cars to Formula E and been one of the most vocal opponents of the new regulations.

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Originally, his negative comments provoked a respectfully sassy clapback from reigning champ Norris, who told him to 'go find something else to do' if he wasn't happy with the new cars.

The Brit then decided to perform a U-turn however, and proceeded to criticise the cars. He said: "I just didn't want to come out to the media and complain to everyone on the first weekend back.

"It's been quite an amusing week seeing the reactions...it's certainly made a lot of people comment and say a lot of things which has been pretty funny. I just wanted to see everyone's reaction."

Norris quotes provoke reaction

Of course, everyone's allowed to change their mind on occasion and shouldn't be held to every word they've said, but one F1 insider has criticised what he described as Norris' 'performance'.

Writing for Swiss publication Blick, long-standing F1 journalist Roger Benoit reflected on criticism of the 2026 cars, where he called out Norris' U-turn.

"It should not be forgotten that these new, highly complicated rules were introduced primarily because of Audi (which would not otherwise have come) and Honda (which would otherwise have left Formula 1 again)," he wrote.

"The critics have grown louder. And even world champion Norris now admits 'I only criticised Max to see how others would react. I agree with Verstappen on most points.' What a stupid performance by the McLaren driver."

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F1 McLaren Lando Norris 2026 regulations