F1’s 2026 Engine ControversyTo understand Norris’s frustration, you have to look at the mechanics of the 2026 regulation overhaul. May 23, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (1) during Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada sprint race at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Speaking to The Guardian ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris made it clear that this compromise was a betrayal of the sport’s purist roots. Despite these unified complaints from the paddock’s heaviest hitters, Norris claims the drivers’ feedback is ultimately powerless against the sport’s financial ambitions. Since Liberty Media took over the sport, Formula 1 has leaned heavily into a new global demographic.