F1 needs better balance between business and sport, says Norris

What the report says

Al Jazeera, carrying a Reuters report published on July 25, 2026, said McLaren driver Lando Norris argued ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that Formula One has tilted too far toward commercial priorities and should give more weight to sporting concerns. Norris made the comments as drivers have voiced frustration that newer technical rules have limited car speed, with concerns highlighted after the Belgian Grand Prix.

Norris linked the direction of the regulations to efforts to attract manufacturers and teams, including Audi, which entered F1 this season after taking over Sauber. The report said Audi was encouraged by power-unit rules that increased the electrical component closer to the role of the combustion engine, though those rules have since been adjusted for 2027 to reduce the electrical share. Norris said drivers understand the racing product best but have limited influence over decisions affecting how the cars perform and how races are experienced.

The McLaren driver also said Formula One’s fan base has changed since the rise of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive,” with more attention on driver personalities as well as the races themselves. A Formula One spokesman rejected the idea that the sporting side was being neglected, saying drivers are being heard more than before and that on-track competition remains the priority while commercial growth has benefited the wider sport.

On the track, Norris was fastest in final practice at the Hungaroring, setting a 1:17.939 lap. Al Jazeera reported he was 0.117 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli third, followed by Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and George Russell. Max Verstappen placed seventh.