Motor racing-Shorter races a good compromise, says F1 champion Norris

Formula One F1 - Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan - September 23, 2026 McLaren's Lando Norris arrives ahead of the press conference REUTERS/Ramil Sitdikov

BAKU, Sept 23 (Reuters) - McLaren’s ⁠reigning world champion Lando Norris on Wednesday described Formula One’s move to shorten races next ⁠year as a good, short-term compromise that would improve the racing action.

The governing FIA's ‌Formula One commission on Monday agreed to reduce the standard Grand Prix distance from 305 km to 290 km from 2027, cutting races by two or three laps.

The move is aimed at ensuring drivers make it to the end of races ​without running out of fuel, with the fuel flow rate set ⁠to increase next year.

“It's a good ⁠compromise that we need to make to make our sport better and rely more on driving rather ⁠than ‌who can look after our battery the best,” Briton Norris told reporters.

“I think in a few years' time when all engine manufacturers are on board with having more fuel again and ⁠having bigger tanks and all of that, then it's something ​we can go back to, ‌the longer races and the races that we've always had in Formula One,” added the ⁠26-year-old.

The fuel flow rate ​permitted by the rules will increase by 5% next season, as part of arebalancing of the split between combustion engine and electric power to 58-42 from the current 53-47.

It will increase again by 13% in 2028, with ⁠the combustion engine-electric power split rising to 60-40.

The move is ​aimed at allowing for more flat-out driving and less energy management after widespread complaints about the racing having become more artificial.

Red Bull’s four-times champion MaxVerstappen, a vocal critic of the sport’s current hybrid rules, said ⁠shortening the race distance would be worth it if it made the racing better.

“I mean I would run 50% less if it would give me a nicer engine to drive,” joked the Dutchman.

“But, I don’t think it’s a big problem.If we have to shorten it a little bit for the fuel ​consumption but for overall a better racing experience then I think everyone ⁠will take it.”

Ferrari rival and seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, however, opposed the move.

“This is supposed to ​be the sport which is the most physically and mentally demanding ‌and there are some (races) that are so hot ​and you are on the edge,” said the 41-year-old.

“But that is where you want to see athletes, right on the edge of performance…”

(Reporting by Abhishek Takle, editing by Ed Osmond)

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一级方程式F1 - 阿塞拜疆大奖赛 - 巴库城市赛道，巴库，阿塞拜疆 - 2026年9月23日 迈凯伦车队的兰多·诺里斯在新闻发布会前抵达 路透社/拉米尔·西特迪科夫

巴库，9 月 23 日（路透社）——迈凯伦车队的卫冕世界冠军兰多·诺里斯周三表示，一级方程式赛车明年缩短比赛赛程的举措是一个良好的短期妥协方案，将改善比赛的精彩程度。

国际汽联一级方程式委员会周一同意从 2027 年起将标准大奖赛距离从 305 公里减少到 290 公里，每场比赛将减少两到三圈。

此举旨在确保车手能够顺利完成比赛而不会耗尽燃料，明年的燃油流量将会增加。

英国车手诺里斯告诉记者：“这是一个我们需要做出的良好妥协，这样才能让我们的运动变得更好，更多地依靠车手的驾驶技术，而不是谁能最好地保养电池。”

“我认为几年后，当所有引擎制造商都同意增加燃油量、使用更大的油箱等等时，我们就可以回到一级方程式赛车一直以来那种更长的比赛了，”这位 26 岁的车手补充道。

根据规则，下赛季允许的燃油流量将增加 5%，这是将内燃机和电力之间的比例从目前的 53-47 调整为 58-42 的一部分。

到 2028 年，这一数字将再次增长 13%，内燃机与电力的功率比例将上升至 60:40。

此举旨在允许更多全力以赴的驾驶，减少能量管理，此前人们普遍抱怨比赛变得越来越不自然。

红牛车队的四届世界冠军马克斯·维斯塔潘一直以来都是这项运动当前混合动力规则的公开批评者，他表示，如果缩短比赛距离能够让比赛变得更好，那么这是值得的。

“我的意思是，如果能换来一台驾驶体验更好的引擎，我愿意减少 50% 的用车里程，”这位荷兰人开玩笑说。

“但是，我认为这不是什么大问题。如果为了降低油耗而稍微缩短赛程，但是为了获得更好的比赛体验，那么我认为大家都会接受的。”

然而，法拉利的竞争对手、七届世界冠军刘易斯·汉密尔顿却反对这一举措。

“这项运动被认为是对体力和精神要求最高的运动，而且有些比赛天气非常炎热，你会感觉自己处于极限状态，”这位 41 岁的运动员说道。

“但这正是你想看到运动员展现最佳状态的地方，他们正处于巅峰状态……”

（Abhishek Takle报道，Ed Osmond编辑）

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