Lando Norris criticizes F1's maximum speed restrictors: “We ought to be able to go faster than a motorcycle with ease.”
Utilizing the slipstream is regarded as a key offensive strategy for a Formula 1 driver. However, Lando Norris believes that the current technical regulations have diminished the effectiveness of drafting.
Stuck in a queue during the Mexico City Grand Prix, the McLaren driver expressed his frustrations regarding the F1 car. He contended that the artificial limitation imposed by a cap on battery deployment renders late-braking maneuvers and straightforward overtakes nearly impossible against similarly matched vehicles.
"The main issue with overtaking is the limiter," Norris articulated in the paddock. "You literally have a limiter that prevents you from exceeding a certain speed, so even if you come out two tenths behind the guy, you hit the same limiter as them, and then you can’t do anything, which kind of ruins racing."
F1 Cars vs MotoGP
The regulations set for 2026 prominently feature active aerodynamics, employing a low-drag Straight Mode to enhance speed on extensive sections of track like the 1.2-kilometer front straight at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Yet, Norris firmly believes the governing body is unnecessarily restraining the cars, directly referencing the motorcycle racing world as evidence.
Lando Norris, McLaren
"It’s something that needs to be addressed for next season," the Brit insisted. "Especially when motorbikes can reach 370, and they don’t have a seat belt or anything, and we should easily be able to surpass a motorbike's speed, you know."
He emphasized that the artificial limitation significantly detracted from the on-track spectacle on Sunday.
A straightforward software adjustment
Continuing the discussion, a journalist inquired whether future engine regulations might naturally alleviate the top speed issue. The Woking star promptly dismissed the idea, asserting that powertrain changes are irrelevant as long as the hard limit remains in place.
"No, that’s unrelated," he clarified. "We still reach the same top speeds in Straight Mode, and with the same power next year, you’ll still hit the same top speed, so you just need to raise the limiter. It’s as straightforward as that."
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren
Despite his strong critique of the regulations, the 26-year-old refrained from using the speed limit as a complete justification for missing the podium. Acknowledging that a significant raw pace difference was necessary for overtaking in Mexico, he placed the blame squarely on McLaren's own performance.
"Nothing ruined today," he admitted. "It’s just you have to be very fast to overtake. No one could make any passes unless they were significantly quicker. So there’s nothing to blame but our poor Saturday."
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