Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris have launched fierce criticism of Formula 1’s 2026 power-unit regulations after the Mexico City Grand Prix exposed a major weakness in the new cars: despite reaching extremely high speeds thanks to active aerodynamics, drivers are struggling to overtake even with a slipstream and the additional electrical power available through Overtake Mode.
The problem was particularly evident on the long main straight at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where cars ended up travelling at almost identical speeds despite the potential advantages available to those following. Both the Ferrari and McLaren drivers were frustrated by the restrictions imposed on electrical power deployment, arguing that they were preventing drivers from taking full advantage of opportunities to pass their rivals.
Lando Norris criticises 2026 F1 power-unit limits for restricting overtaking
Lando Norris was particularly outspoken about what he described as a speed limiter, explaining that it effectively cancelled out any advantage a driver could gain by exiting the final corner close behind another car.
“The main problem with overtaking is that you have this limiter. You literally have a limiter that stops you going above a certain speed. So it doesn’t matter if you come out of the last corner behind another driver: you have the same limiter as them and there’s absolutely nothing you can do,” the McLaren driver explained.
Norris went further, comparing Formula 1’s situation with MotoGP and arguing that the restrictions were damaging the quality of racing.
“This, in a way, ruins racing. It’s something they need to improve for next season. Especially considering that motorcycles reach 370 km/h without even having a seat belt. We should easily be able to go faster than a motorcycle. This situation ruined the racing today and I hope they improve things for next season.”
His criticism highlights a particularly frustrating aspect of the 2026 regulations. Although active aerodynamics and electrical deployment are intended to provide different opportunities for performance, the speed restrictions can leave drivers unable to exploit an advantage even when they are positioned ideally to attempt an overtake.
Lewis Hamilton attacks 2026 F1 engine management after Max Verstappen battle
Lewis Hamilton was even more critical after experiencing the problem directly while trying to close the gap to Max Verstappen during the Mexican Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion questioned the way the new power units manage electrical energy and argued that drivers were being prevented from reaching speeds their cars could otherwise achieve.
“We have this power cut at the end of the straight that prevents you from going above a certain speed, so everyone just ends up following whoever is ahead of them. It’s ridiculous, because when you’re behind someone and you have a bit more power thanks to the slipstream, you should be able to use it to have a chance of overtaking.”
The Ferrari driver then delivered an even stronger assessment of the regulations governing energy deployment.
“The engine could go faster, but there are these stupid power cuts. It’s the worst engine management configuration they’ve ever had in this sport, and it certainly doesn’t help the spectacle.”
Hamilton also explained why the characteristics of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez made matters worse. The circuit’s altitude and the resulting thinner air, combined with the low-downforce configurations used by the teams, made it especially difficult to follow another car closely.
“That’s probably why you didn’t see much overtaking today. The starts were fun, of course, but on this track it’s very difficult to follow another car, with the thin air and low downforce. I gave everything to try to get closer to Max.”
The situation also illustrates why Ferrari’s technical performance and aerodynamic configuration cannot be considered separately from the energy-management restrictions introduced by the new regulations.
Why the 2026 F1 regulations are limiting top speeds
There is, however, an important technical distinction behind the complaints made by Hamilton and Norris. The problem is not a fixed speed limiter like the one used in the pit lane, but rather a combination of regulatory restrictions on electrical power and the energy-management strategies adopted by the teams.
Article B7.2 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations allows the FIA to introduce specific restrictions according to the characteristics of individual circuits, including measures intended to control maximum speeds.
At the Mexican Grand Prix, the unusually long main straight and the atmospheric conditions associated with the circuit’s high altitude combined to produce a particularly controversial effect. When two cars reached the same effective speed ceiling, the slipstream lost much of its usefulness, even when the chasing driver had additional electrical power available through Overtake Mode.
Consequently, the theoretical advantage of following another car could disappear before the driver had completed an overtaking manoeuvre. The issue was particularly apparent towards the end of the straight, precisely where the additional speed should have helped create passing opportunities.
The differences in recorded maximum speeds between drivers and sessions can be explored through the F1 Top Speed Comparison, which provides a way to examine how cars perform at different speed-measurement points.
Will Formula 1 change its power-unit rules for 2027?
The situation presents a striking paradox for a championship that has completely overhauled its engines, aerodynamics and technical regulations with the aim of producing closer and more competitive racing.
The 2026 generation of Formula 1 cars introduced a fundamentally different approach to power-unit performance and aerodynamic efficiency. Yet the experience in Mexico suggests that some of those changes may be having the opposite effect when drivers attempt to overtake at high speed.
The first corrective measures are likely to arrive in 2027, but resolving the problem completely may require more than adjustments to individual restrictions. A deeper reconsideration of the technology involved, and particularly the philosophy behind the regulatory revolution, could be necessary to restore some of the characteristics traditionally associated with genuine racing cars.
For Ferrari and the other teams, this is an important consideration as development increasingly turns towards the next season. The technical direction of the championship will influence how effectively drivers can use the performance available from their cars, not simply how much outright speed those cars can produce.
Ultimately, Formula 1 finds itself facing an uncomfortable contradiction. A championship built around producing the fastest and most advanced racing cars now has drivers publicly asking to be allowed to go faster on the straights. For Hamilton and Norris, the restrictions are no longer merely a technical inconvenience: they have become an obstacle to the racing spectacle itself.
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