Lando Norris has accused Formula One’s bosses of prioritising profit over the quality of racing, saying the sport is being run as a business rather than a sporting competition.
Speaking ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the world champion directed his criticism at F1’s American owners Liberty Media, who employ Stefano Domenicali as chief executive. Norris said the switch to half-electric, 50-50 hybrid power units was driven by commercial motives rather than a desire to improve racing.
“Formula One is heavily led by the fact it’s a business nowadays, and not about making the sport the best possible,” Norris said. “It’s about how you make the most money. That’s not what it should be. That’s not how a sport should be run.”
He pointed to the arrival of Audi on the grid as evidence that the new hybrid regulations were designed to attract manufacturers rather than serve racing. The batteries in the current power units are depleted and recharged each lap, a process partly controlled by AI algorithms, producing overtaking patterns that Norris said would frustrate long-standing fans.
“Fans from five years ago, pre-Drive to Survive, would hate this,” he said, adding that newer fans tend to focus on individual drivers rather than the racing itself.
Norris, whose McLaren team have not won a race this season, said he saw no quick remedy. Modifications are planned for next year and 2028 to reduce the electric element, but he argued those timelines were themselves shaped by business considerations.
“It’s a shame,” he said.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has previously called the regulations “anti-racing” and compared the experience to Mario Kart. Formula One and the FIA have announced a return to V8 engines in 2031.
An F1 spokesperson pushed back, saying drivers are listened to more than ever and that commercial success has benefited everyone, including the drivers themselves. “Decisions are made for the best strategic outcome for everyone,” the spokesperson said.
