Following a speedy run at the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP, the McLaren ‘jump-starter’, Lando Norris is really letting the British team’s Orange shade pop out this season. This British-Belgian youngster is surely striving to continue this hot-run at next weekend’s Aussie GP as well.
However, Lando Norris has now come out, revving his voice with some ‘surprising’ words for the Formula 1 hierarchies.
Lando Norris wants FIA to prioritize driver comfort
In a recent interview with Motorsports, Lando Norris has admitted that the Formula 1 regulators should ensure that the next-gen racing machines are ‘comfortable for the drivers’ and aren’t as physically tormenting as the current ones.
During the session, Norris was asked whether the driver comfort needs to be improved in the upcoming ’26 regulation changes. He replied to this, by saying, “Could it be better? And was it better a few years ago with the old cars? 100%.”
“There’s definitely certain people who think it’s not bad and that it used to be worse many years ago and all of this stuff, but I think times have changed,” Lando added.
“I think we do complain sometimes, but certain things are also for good reason, for our own bodies and the safety and health side of things. So, I think there’s areas to improve on it for sure,” Norris further added.
With the return of the ground-effect in ’22, the Formula 1 teams are designing their racing cars to run very low and stiff. This points to the scenario of the drivers getting pretty uncomfortable inside the cockpit during race events.
“I think it does need to be improved a little bit – because the teams just make the quickest cars, and then we drive them. There’re certain times when it starts to have a toll,” Norris added, pointing out the scenario.
Reflecting on his own case, he stated, “I struggle a lot with my body and back and all of these things. And I have to do a lot now, which I didn’t have to do a few years ago.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s directly because of the car, I think a little of it is just naturally for me I have to work on it, but I think things in the long term need to be improved, especially if I want to be here for many years,” Lando concluded.
These words of concern from Norris come at a time, when the McLaren star was busy shooting for a commercial advertisement, for his childhood racing ‘mentor’- PlayStation.
Lando Norris reveals his secret to driving mastery
In a special video last week, Lando Norris–who is also known as ‘Last Lap Lando’— announced his recent partnership with PlayStation, where he was officially penned as the latest ‘PlayStation Playmaker,” and expressed that PlayStation has been “a part of his life for as long as he can remember.”
In the clip, Lando Norris was heard revealing that the gaming console, PlayStation, played a big role in improving his racing prowess– before and after taking a seat in Formula 1.
“As much as I use PlayStation to help me develop and be a better driver, I also use it to relax and chill out,” he added.
The Briton also reminisced about a childhood memory when his father bought the GranTurismo Sim racing game for his PS2, which essentially kickstarted his racing career. He added that he used the game, along with the console, as a platform to learn the “tips and tricks of racecraft.”
This virtual ‘PlayStation racer’ also expressed his amazement at the fact that he is now a real racer in Formula 1. Reflecting on this, he said, “It’s crazy to think that I went from racing laps on my PlayStation as a kid to being one of the 20 Formula One drivers pushing the limits on the track.”
As for now, Lando Norris will now push the limits of his MCL38 racing machine at Albert Park on 24th March for the 2024 Australian GP.
Will the F1 rule makers even take notice of Norris’ advice for ‘driver comfort’ in the ’26 regulations shift? Is he lying about PS2 kickstarting his racing career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
