According to Martin Brundle, the mark of a smart F1 2026 driver is adapting to the rules and maximising their potential.<\/p>\n
Brundle believes that one of the drivers who will successfully do this is reigning World Champion Lando Norris<\/a>. The reaction from much of the grid towards the new rules has been cold, especially in regards to the increased battery management which will be required.<\/p>\n Martin Brundle says Lando Norris will thrive under F1 2026 rules<\/p>\n Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Teams and drivers got a feel for the new formula during testing in Barcelona and Bahrain. Next up is Melbourne, hosting the first test of these cars during a grand prix weekend.<\/p>\n The new engines deploy triple the amount of electrical energy compared to the old hybrids. This means battery management will be crucial in F1 2026 competition, with Max Verstappen the most vocal of the drivers expressing concern over this.<\/p>\n Drivers must also adapt to reduced downforce and active aerodynamics under the new regulations.<\/p>\n Norris heads into the season as reigning Drivers\u2019 Champion. McLaren, meanwhile, is looking to defend its Constructors\u2019 crown.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re a McLaren driver, you wanted these rules to carry on forever,\u201d was the suggestion of Sky F1\u2019s Craig Slater.<\/p>\n Brundle, the former driver turned Sky F1 analyst and commentator, responded: \u201cI know what you mean, because McLaren dominated the last two years as a manufacturer. Wasn\u2019t guaranteed it was going to carry on that way.\u201d<\/p>\n F1 testing suggested that McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull remain the top four teams.<\/p>\n As Norris looks to defend his crown, Brundle is backing him to make the \u201csmart\u201d choice in F1 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cBut for me, the smart drivers are going to go, \u2018Right, we\u2019ve got what we\u2019ve got with these new regulations. How do we make the best of it?’\u201d Brundle continued.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I think Lando will be one of those smart drivers.\u201d<\/p>\n Latest F1 2026 talking points via PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n Lando Norris admits McLaren \u2018a little bit off\u2019 rivals in race trim<\/a><\/p>\n FIA\u2019s Nikolas Tombazis responds to Max Verstappen criticism over 2026 cars<\/a><\/p>\n From his observations, Brundle believes that Norris is taking a page out of the Verstappen playbook, by inferring that everything is a bonus now that he is World Champion.<\/p>\n Brundle notes that Norris is beaming after his achievement.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a World Champion. So that\u2019s already ticked the biggest box you can as a racing driver.<\/p>\n \u201cI like the way Lando is going about it. He\u2019s doing a bit like Max, but in a slightly different way.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s saying, \u2018Look, I\u2019m a world champion. I\u2019ve got that. Now anything else I can do after that, and I\u2019m going to carry on doing it my way, being Lando, being slightly unsure of myself, I\u2019m not going to be super confident, because that\u2019s not how I am.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cBut Max said the same thing when he won his first World Championship, \u2018Alright, everything else from here on is a bonus.\u2019 But we all know that Max is so unbelievably competitive. He wants as many World Championships as he can get.<\/p>\n \u201cLando, I\u2019ve not seen him this year yet, on TV or in person, without a massive grin on his face. He\u2019s so happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n The F1 2026 season-opening Australian Grand Prix gets underway from 6 March with free practice.<\/p>\n