Lando Norris hailed recent F1 technical regulation changes as a step forward after winning the Miami sprint race, but noted drivers remain penalized for pushing harder in key areas. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc urged realistic expectations on further improvements. The tweaks, aimed at energy management issues, were first tested at the Miami Grand Prix.
During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Formula 1 introduced tweaks to energy management rules to address dangerous closing speeds and enhance qualifying. Reigning world champion Lando Norris, who led a McLaren 1-2 in the sprint race, called it a first step in the right direction. “Some things remain as expected. There's still certain points where the quicker you go, the more penalised you get,” Norris said after the sprint. He added that qualifying felt more normal, with drivers able to push without early lifting, though racing dynamics stayed unchanged in the sprint aside from minor adjustments like super clips. Norris expects bigger benefits on tracks more demanding than Miami International Autodrome, unlike Australia where energy pain points were more evident. Drivers anticipate addressing remaining issues later in the year or future seasons. Charles Leclerc agreed more work is needed but emphasized realism. “We need to have realistic expectations because we cannot change so much either. I think some of those technical regulations and the issues we are facing will remain there somehow,” the Ferrari driver said. He credited the FIA's steps for improvements but doubted full elimination of problems. On yo-yo racing—position swings from energy disparities—both drivers attributed fewer instances in Miami to track conditions like high temperatures overheating tires, rather than the tweaks. Norris predicted it would persist in the main race, saying, “I think once it starts you'll still have it, so we will see it tomorrow I guess.” Separately, Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur defended the 2026 regulations as less artificial than past DRS, highlighting more overtakes like 120 at the Australian GP versus 45 the prior year.
