Norris eyes championship gains as Mercedes rivals engage in fierce on-track battles and face engine legality questions.
Defending world champion Lando Norris has outlined his strategy for clawing back Mercedes' advantage in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship. Despite dominating the sport over the past two seasons, McLaren's start to the new campaign has fallen well below expectations, with the team struggling to challenge for victories.
In comments published by PlanetF1, Norris spoke about his outlook for the rest of the season and how he hopes to get back into title contention: "Hopefully McLaren can benefit from the battle between the two Mercedes cars on track," said the reigning world champion. "The more they fight each other, the better for us. It's good to see. Kimi is in his second year in F1 and he's doing a great job.
"It's also great to watch. He's a very nice guy and he's performing at the highest level in Formula 1. He's had several strong races, so it's good to see that he's found that extra gear and is giving George a real fight — which is great, but it also works in our favour.
"We know we were a bit off the pace at the start of the season. We're hoping to catch up, and the more points they take off each other, the better — just like what happened to us last year with Max during our fight. Hopefully history repeats itself in reverse," the British driver said.
Why is the Mercedes engine considered illegal?
The compression ratio for the internal combustion engine is required to be 16:1 in 2026. Behind closed doors, however, it is reported that Mercedes' unit may reach 18:1 once it hits its optimal operating temperature.
Under current regulations, the FIA measures the compression ratio at ambient temperature, which yields the 16:1 figure in Mercedes' case. Since a higher compression ratio generates more power, Audi, Ferrari, and Honda have demanded that the ratio be held at 16:1 at all times — including when the engine is fully warmed up.
Meanwhile, Red Bull Ford is said to be developing its own solution to the issue. The FIA has held several meetings with the various Formula 1 engine manufacturers to address the matter, provoking a sharp response from Mercedes.
"Our engine is legal. The FIA has already confirmed it. We comply with every regulation, without exception," team principal Toto Wolff told De Telegraaf. "It seems secret meetings have been held and communications sent about our engine. Make sure your own house is in order."
It is also reported that Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius is backing those statements and has even threatened legal action should the power unit be declared illegal.