Lando Norris revealed he had the most fun all year behind the wheel at the Nürburgring during a recent Pirelli tyre test, hinting at his growing passion for the legendary ‘Green Hell’ circuit. Driving his own McLaren 750S on the Nordschleife, Norris soaked up the track’s unique challenge and called the experience “scary and fun at the same time” ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
Norris emphasized his connection to the Nordschleife, having spent years mastering it in simulators like Gran Turismo and iRacing. “It’s one of those tracks that everyone wants to drive,” he said. “Whether you’re a racing driver or not – it’s always cool to do it because it’s so unique.” The McLaren driver’s enthusiasm for the Nürburgring stands in contrast to his growing frustration with Formula 1’s current regulations, which he describes as “too artificial” and limiting on-track action.
Despite recent tweaks from the FIA aimed at improving racing, Norris remains unconvinced. “It’s a small step in the right direction, but it’s not to the level that Formula 1 should still be at yet,” he said bluntly. He criticized the ongoing restrictions in qualifying, where pushing flat out often results in penalties rather than rewards. “You should never get penalised for that kind of thing and you still do,” Norris added. His solution is clear: “You just have to get rid of the battery. So hopefully in a few years, that’s the case.”
As Norris reflects on the thrill of real-world racing at the Nordschleife, Max Verstappen prepares to make his debut in the grueling 24 Hours of Nürburgring endurance race this weekend. Norris plans to follow the event closely, praising Verstappen as “a driver I greatly respect” and admiring his recent battles with Christopher Haase in GT competition. “It’s the 24 Hours of Nordschleife, one of the best races in the world,” Norris said. “I’ll definitely be tuning in, maybe not for the entire 24 hours, but as much as possible.”
Norris’s comments come amid growing debate within F1 about the sport’s direction under the 2026 regulations, with drivers like George Russell also calling for radical changes, including a return to V8 engines and lighter cars. As the championship pushes forward, Norris’s Nürburgring experience offers a stark reminder of why many drivers crave purer, more visceral racing away from the high-tech constraints currently defining Formula 1.
