F1 champion Lando Norris just said what everyone is thinking about the sport with brutal honesty

Lando Norris, McLaren, Canada, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lando Norris just said what everyone is thinking about F1 with brutal honesty

McLaren star Norris is not impressed with the direction F1 is heading in

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Monday 27 July 2026 13:59

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Reigning champion Lando Norris has hit out at Formula 1 for putting the championship's status as a business ahead of its place as a sport.

The McLaren F1 star entered the 2026 campaign as the defending drivers' champion but has had to deal with a slow start with the Woking-based squad under the new regulations.

Along with a brand new season came completely overhauled chassis and power unit regulations this year, something which has hampered Norris' McLaren squad who are a customer team of rivals Mercedes.

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But it isn't just McLaren who struggled with a slower start to the sport's new era than they would have liked, with the 2026 regulations proving instantly unpopular among drivers and fans due to the increased focus on electrification.

Even though slight changes are on the way for 2027, Norris, four-time champion Max Verstappen and Sky Sports F1 legend Martin Brundle are yet to be convinced.

Norris not impressed by F1: 'That's not how sport should be'

The last two rounds of the championship have taken place at circuits which are famously power-dependent in the form of Silverstone and Spa.

Brundle even admitted on Sky's live broadcast of the Belgian GP last time out that he had gotten emotional over his dislike of the 2026 rules, with Norris saying he is convinced traditional fans will 'hate' the new regulations.

Speaking ahead of this year's Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris then pointed out his own dislike of the sport in its current state.

"It’s a business. Everyone wants to make money, so in order for Audi and other teams like Cadillac to come in, we had to make changes," he began.

"Formula 1's gone too heavily led by the fact it’s a business, and not how can you make the sport the best possible but how can we make the most money as a business.

"That’s not how a sport should be run. It should never have been like that. And it is a shame."

Even though he is the defending drivers' champion, the 26-year-old has already shown signs he is considering an early exit from the sport, something which could be fast-tracked even further by his dislike of the current direction F1 championship is taking.

"I want kids and I want out of here," Norris said earlier this year when asked if he could see himself competing in F1 for as long as seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has.

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F1 McLaren Lando Norris