Norris explains why losing “1-2%” in qualifying left drivers so frustrated at new F1 cars

McLaren's Lando Norris has explained how Formula 1's new regulations are causing significant driver frustration during qualifying, specifically highlighting that losing '1-2%' of performance due to battery power preservation requirements is hampering drivers' ability to push to the absolute limit. The new cars' hidden energy deployment algorithms are restricting what drivers can do with the throttle and brakes, fundamentally changing the nature of qualifying from a pure expression of speed to a management exercise. The issue has emerged as one of the most contentious aspects of F1's controversial 2026-era regulatory overhaul.