Lando Norris calls for lighter F1 cars amid frustration over ‘slow’ racing

Lando Norris urges Formula One rule-makers to make the cars lighter

Lando Norris looks like the closest challenger to Max Verstappen in Japan (Toru Hanai/AP) (AP)

Lando Norris says Formula One drivers are never operating at 100 per cent and has called on the sport’s rule-makers to make the cars lighter.

The McLaren driver, 23, is now in his fifth season in F1 and has emerged as one of the strongest drivers on the grid.

But the British star admits he has some frustration with the cars and feels they limit how the drivers can perform.

“It is frustrating. It feels like you drive so slow,” Norris said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

“You just feel like you are not driving at 100 per cent. You still have to drive at 95 per cent as well as you can.”

“There are still differences between drivers of achieving that, how you drive at 95 per cent. You still see differences between how Lewis (Hamilton) can do it and how a rookie can do it.

“You never drive at 100 per cent in the race because if you have one slide you’re done. You are just managing your tyres and your temperatures.

“It is just the way things are. I’m sure in other categories it is similar-ish but you just want to be able to race closer.

“I would make the cars lighter, as simple as that. You make them quicker by being lighter, you then remove some of the aero stuff which is now what makes them so impressive.

“You remove some of that and it stops dirty air as much and then you will be able to follow better.”

Regulation changes set to come into effect in 2026 are expected to reduce the weight of the cars and also make the tyres thinner.

Norris is hopeful this is the case and believes the onus is on each team to get the car right for when the new rules are introduced.

It for this reason that Norris has huge admiration for Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s domination of the sport over the last two seasons, amid criticism that it is bad for F1.

“They are doing a better job. That is what F1 is about,” Norris added.

“It is not just about the driver; F1 is one of very, very few sports in the world where there is so much talked about the driver but it is very much a team sport.”

Lando Norris (left) has called for harsher penalties for blocking (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

“It is not just who is the best driver, it does not work like that. It is about the machine and the driver.

“That is the competition of F1, it is who can build and design the best cars. At the minute Red Bull are doing it, so hats off to them.”

Norris disagrees with the opinion that people will turn away from F1 if Verstappen keeps winning, making the comparison with Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.

“People do not find F1 boring,” Norris said.

“Of course you want excitement for the win. That is the pinnacle of it, like Lewis against Max in 2021. That is probably the most exciting season in a very, very long time.

“When Usain Bolt was winning every race, it’s boring because you want to see a close win.

“But do you stop watching that because Bolt is winning? You don’t, you watch it because you are still like, ‘he is doing an amazing job and congratulations to him’.

“People shouldn’t stop watching because someone is doing so well.”