LANDO NORRIS CLAPS BACK: "IF MAX VERSTAPPEN HATES F1'S NEW RULES, HE CAN JUST RETIRE."
Lando Norris fires back at Max Verstappen's 2026 rule complaints as Charles Leclerc sets the pace in Bahrain preseason testing.
Lando Norris, the current champ, fired back at Max Verstappen's complaints about Formula 1's new rules. Norris thinks Verstappen is overreacting and can leave if he hates the cars so much; from a driver's view, there's nothing to complain about.
Verstappen called the new rules anti-racing after testing in Bahrain, saying the cars aren't as fun as the old ones.
Verstappen gripes that energy management is now a major thing under the new rules. Drivers can't just go all-out without wrecking the battery and hurting lap times.
Last year, the four-time champ even said he might quit F1 if the new cars weren't fun. When asked the same thing this Thursday, he just said, We'll see.
But Norris thinks the cars are still a blast. He says anyone not enjoying it can find something else to do.
I had a lot of fun. 'I really enjoyed it,' he said. So yeah, if he wants to retire, he can retire.
F1 always changes. Sometimes it's better; sometimes not. But we get paid a ton to drive, so no one can really complain.
Any driver can go do something else. It's not like anyone has to be here.
It's a challenge, but it's a good one for the engineers and drivers. It's different. You have to drive differently, understand things in a new way, and handle things differently. But you still get to drive cars, travel, and have fun. So, there is nothing to complain about.
Norris added that Verstappen will always be a top driver, no matter the rules.
'I'm sure Max is still going to try to win,' he said.
He's just not going to smile as much, maybe.
It doesn't feel as fast or handle as well as in the past, but if he'd started with these cars, he'd probably think they were amazing.
Compared to the old cars, they don't feel as nice to drive, but they're still good. And it's early days. The rules are meant to make the cars a bit slower at first.
But by the end of the year, and even next year, we'll be going a lot faster. Everyone can have their own opinion and decide what they want to do.
No one should complain about that. Every driver has their own feelings. He didn't like it, and I do.
F1 Testing: Leclerc Sets the Pace in Bahrain
Charles Leclerc was fastest on the second day of Formula 1's Bahrain preseason test. It's still hard to know who's really ahead.
Leclerc's time of 1:34.273 was set in the day and stayed on top until the end. It's tough to read too much into the times, but Ferrari had a very productive day, running 139 laps. People are curious where the Italian team stands against its rivals under the new rules.
Lando Norris finished second, 0.5 seconds behind Leclerc. He also ran a huge 149 laps, showing McLaren's strong preseason. Oliver Bearman was third, 1.121 seconds behind Norris, with 130 laps in the Ferrari-powered Haas.
But the other two teams, who have been top contenders in recent years, struggled this time.
Mercedes had a rough start, with a power unit issue that kept Kimi Antonelli to just four laps before lunch.
George Russell managed 55 laps and was fourth fastest, but people are starting to doubt whether Mercedes will be untouchable at the top -- as many believed before the new rules.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had said Red Bull was the team to beat after the first day, but they also had a tough day. A morning issue limited their running, and Isack Hadjar wasn't as impressive as Max Verstappen the day before.
Hadjar, 2.2s behind Leclerc, ran 87 laps after the delay. Verstappen will be back in the car for Friday's final day.
Many are wondering if Aston Martin will finally become title contenders as promised. But it looks like it will take time, as they were still near the back of the timing screens.
Fernando Alonso ran a solid 98 laps, but his teammate, Lance Stroll, made the headlines.
As Alonso drove, Stroll said the team was multiple seconds off the pace and probably won't be winning right away. Alonso ended the day 4.6 seconds behind Leclerc.
Team boss Adrian Newey has said they'll be developing the car and working with their new engine partner, Honda. But it's clear this week that the team has a big job ahead.
There were a few stoppages. Norris' McLaren stopped briefly in the pit lane, and Pierre Gasly's Alpine broke down at Turn 1 in the evening. Gasly still managed 97 laps, while Williams drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz ran 131 laps. Williams is having a good start to testing, after skipping the Barcelona Shakedown.
Cadillac caused two delays. First, Sergio Perez stopped on track, and then Valtteri Bottas had debris fly off his car. But Cadillac still ran 107 laps between its drivers. The new team Audi also ran 114 laps.
WHY MAX VERSTAPPEN BLAMES THE RB22 FOR RED BULL’S 2026 DOWNFALL
Red Bull faces a crisis as Max Verstappen finishes 8th at Suzuka, calling for "stronger" engine deployment before Miami.
Max Verstappen didn’t hold back after a rough weekend at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix, making it clear the RB22’s chassis is where Red Bull really needs to step up. He struggled just to stay ahead of an Alpine, and for a guy with four titles, that stings.
Things started going sideways in qualifying; he dropped out in Q2 and had to start 11th on the grid. At first, it looked like he might be able to turn things around. Verstappen got off the line well, jumped past Gabriel Bortoleto, slipped by teammate Isack Hadjar, and then picked off Esteban Ocon and a Haas. That bumped him up to eighth, and after a pit stop for hard tyres under the safety car, things didn't look terrible. Respectable, but not where you expect to see Verstappen.
But then he got stuck behind Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. Gasly wasn’t in the mood to make life easy for his old Red Bull teammate. He defended hard, Verstappen couldn’t find a way by, and seventh slipped right out of reach. Not only did Verstappen lose out, but Alpine leapfrogged Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, another sign this season isn’t off to a great start. With Hadjar finishing out of the points too, it’s officially Red Bull’s worst season start since 2015.
Verstappen didn’t mince words afterwards. “I’m always talking with the team,” he told reporters. “We need to figure out this new package. I don’t think it worked that well here. We’ve had a ton of stability problems, and we need to find a more stable balance, plus get a better handle on the engine and deployment. Just be stronger all around.”
Gasly was on top of his game. Even when Verstappen managed to slip past in the Casio Triangle, Gasly punched right back, using his battery deployment and racing sense to reclaim the spot on the main straight. You could feel Verstappen’s frustration at one point; he jokingly waved Gasly back past as the Alpine flew by, which probably says it all.
Now, with the Miami GP over a month away, Red Bull’s got time to dig deep and figure out how to right the ship. Verstappen himself is off to the Nordschleife, getting ready for the Nurburgring 24 Hours in a Mercedes AMG GT3, but you can bet conversations with Red Bull management are coming first.
He’s also baffled and pretty annoyed by the new F1 regulations, especially the need to manage the battery during a qualifying lap. Drivers now have to lift and coast through corners like 130R, sometimes losing 70 km/h due to “Super Clipping,” which just kills the rhythm. “It’s confusing,” Verstappen said. “Now you go faster in qualifying by going slower, less throttle, more lifting. That’s not how it should be.”
It’s not just qualifying that’s a headache. The race showed off some of the dangers these new rules bring. Oliver Bearman had a nasty crash at the Spoon Curve after he ran up on a much slower Franco Colapinto, a 50G impact that left him limping, but thankfully unhurt. The FIA said they’ll hold meetings in April to look at these new regs, so maybe changes are on the way.
For Red Bull and Verstappen, though, there’s no sugarcoating it. The car’s off the pace, and frustration is running high. There’s a lot of work ahead if they want to join the fight at the front again.
THE HARDEST EARNED: WHY LEWIS HAMILTON CALLS HIS FIRST FERRARI GP PODIUM HIS TOUGHEST
Lewis Hamilton reflects on his "hardest-earned" Ferrari podium at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix alongside Bono.
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Lewis Hamilton recently reflected on his first podium finish with Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix, describing it as the hardest podium he’s ever had to earn.
Although he claimed victory in the 2025 Chinese sprint race with Ferrari, he hadn’t made it to the podium in a full grand prix until now. After a refreshing winter break and adapting to the new regulations, Hamilton finally hit that milestone and currently sits fourth in the drivers’ standings.
“I had the sprint race win last year, which was amazing, especially with my dad there,” Hamilton shared with F1 about his initial podium with Ferrari. “Bringing my mum to China this time and sharing that incredible week with her before getting my first podium made it all the more special.”
He went on to say, “I’d been chasing that podium for quite a while, and it honestly felt like I’d never worked so hard to get one. I was really grateful. It felt like my first, even though I’ve had a few before. Being up there in red, alongside Bono and Kimi, remembering his first win and George, brought back a lot of nostalgia.”
Hamilton also spoke about the atmosphere with his team following the achievement, emphasising how much it meant to everyone. “It was huge. The team, especially those in the garage, has been incredible over the last year. Their support has never wavered.”
He continued, “After every weekend where I fell short last year, I’d come back feeling gutted, disappointed that I hadn’t delivered for them. But they were always encouraging, saying, ‘Next time, next time.’ Their positivity kept me going. So, finally reaching the podium and seeing how happy and grateful they were really touched me.”
“That moment fuels me to push even harder, dig deeper, and keep building with the team,” Hamilton concluded.
