Lando Norris and Max Verstappen expressed frustration with Formula 1's 2026 power unit regulations after the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Norris overtook Lewis Hamilton unwillingly due to automatic battery deployment, calling it 'yo-yoing' rather than racing. Verstappen highlighted the track layout's role in making overtakes inefficient.
At the Suzuka circuit, Lando Norris finished fifth in the Japanese Grand Prix, viewing it alongside Oscar Piastri's performance as progress for McLaren. However, he criticized the racing dynamics under the new rules. 'Honestly some of the racing, I didn't even want to overtake Lewis. It's just that my battery deploys, I don't want it to deploy, but I can't control it,' Norris said when asked by Motorsport.com. He described overtaking Hamilton in the final chicane only to lose battery power immediately after, allowing a counter-pass on the straight. 'This is not racing, this is yo-yoing,' he added, noting drivers are 'at the mercy of whatever the power unit delivers.'
