Drivers have been vocal about how the complex energy deployment needs of the 2026 generation of Formula 1 cars have impacted how they have to be driven, with the reliance on energy harvesting causing a big mental shift in how to approach faster corners.

Mercedes driver George Russell is one driver who has struggled to gel with his machinery this year, which has come more naturally to his championship-leading team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

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Norris, whose McLaren team has only finished on the podium four times this year as it tries to reel in Mercedes, appeared to have little sympathy for Russell’s plight in what is still F1 fastest car in 2026.

“I mean, I’ve had to change my driving style every single year of my life,” Norris said in Hungary. “I guess for him it’s worked for 20 years, for me it’s not worked. My driving style worked back in 2018 when I did my test year. That’s probably about it. Ever since then I’ve had to change.

“I think the more experience you have in Formula 1, the better equipped you should be. If you’re not ready to adapt to a different car, then you’re not at a good enough level. It’s our job, it’s what we’ve got paid millions to do. It’s to drive any car you get given, whether it’s a good one, a bad one, an easy one or a hard one. You have to do it.”

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Norris particularly struggled over the first part of the 2025 season to wring the most out of his McLaren on the limit in qualifying, before finding technical and driving style solutions that helped him get back in the title race. That constant adaptation process hasn’t stopped yet with the 2026 car.

Mercedes’ George Russell is having to dig deep to get on top of the 2026 Mercedes and try to match Kimi Antonelli.

“Every single race I come into at the minute, I feel like I have to completely forget the last weekend and learn how to drive a new car, because that’s how it is for us,” he said. “Every driver is different. But for me, my whole career in F1 has been about how I can change my driving style every season.”

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The controversial energy deployment rules are so complex that the power units rely on machine learning software to control them. It has left drivers unimpressed because the power units are so sensitive to inputs that a car can easily lose several tenths down the straight because of a slight deviation in the previous corner. As Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri put it in Spa, at times it feels like qualifying results are being decided by “computers behaving or misbehaving”.

While it has become harder for the outside world to judge driver performance and isolate it from the power unit, and Norris shares the general frustration over how random the power unit behaviour feels, he disagreed with Max Verstappen‘s opinion that a driver can’t make as much of a difference anymore.

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Max Verstappen: “At first they said I was complaining – now more people see what F1 2026 is like”

“You certainly can [make the difference],” Norris said. “Obviously, some corners get a little bit more eliminated. Maybe it tightens up, but if you’re a better driver, most corners are still corners to try and gain an advantage on everyone. You’re still going to be ahead.”

While some faster corners are now used to recharge energy, Norris felt the reduced downforce levels of the 2026 cars are now turning medium-speed corners into a much bigger challenge.

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“At the very fast tracks, like Silverstone and Spa, there are fewer corners where you can gain lap time. But on a track like this, I don’t think that’s true at all,” he explained. “Some of the corners this weekend are going to be bigger corners than they were ever before, because the top speed into Turn 11 and Turn 4 is higher than last season, with less grip. In fact, it’s almost the opposite. It’s a chance for you to make more of a difference as a good driver.”

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‘I’ll stretch your neck like a chicken’ – The tough love Kimi Antonelli’s father gave after F1 track limits errors

George Russell: Data shows software calibration behind recent F1 struggles, not driving style

Mercedes introduces new 612hp F1 safety car

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Commonwealth Games 2026 Live Updates: India will have a busy and potentially rewarding day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on July 24, with action spread across six sports and the country’s first opportunities to add medals to its tally. While several athletes begin their campaigns, para powerlifting will be the biggest focus as multiple Indian lifters compete in medal events throughout the evening.

Ashok and Parmjeet Kumar will open India’s medal challenge in the men’s lightweight category before Jaspreet Kaur and Suman Devi compete in the women’s lightweight final. Kasthuri Rajamani follows in the women’s heavyweight event, while Sudhir and Jhandu Kumar wrap up the day’s medal action in the men’s heavyweight final after midnight.

The boxing ring will also see India’s campaign begin, with Jadumani Singh taking on Scotland’s Aaron Cullen in the men’s 55kg round of 32. India already has one guaranteed medal in boxing after Lovlina Borgohain advanced directly to the women’s 75kg semi-finals.

Olympian Srihari Nataraj will be one of the key names in the pool as he competes in the men’s 50m backstroke heats. If he progresses, he will return later in the night for the semi-finals. Para swimmers Ravi Budigna and Imam Ali will also compete in the men’s S13 100m freestyle, with the final scheduled after midnight.

In gymnastics, India’s four-member team of Tapan Mohanty, Swathish KP, Tapeshwarnath Das and Yogeshwar Singh begins with the qualification round before aiming for a place in the men’s team final later in the day.

Bowls will also feature Indian interest, with Putul Sonowal looking to continue his impressive form after defeating reigning world champion Ryan Bester in his opening match. The women’s pairs combination of Pinki Singh and Rupa Rani Tirkey will face South Africa in their second sectional contest as India looks to build momentum across multiple disciplines in Glasgow.

Getting an extra armor suit in Halo Campaign Evolved without spending a single credit sounds too good to be true, but the Sandstone Ancient armor is that kind of reward right now. Players who jump into the game today have a shot at claiming it without grinding through challenges or waiting on a battle pass tier to unlock.

This one is tied to the early access rollout, and it won’t take long to walk through once someone knows where to look. Below is everything needed to grab the Sandstone Ancient armor suit in Halo Campaign Evolved and add it straight into an existing loadout.

Also read: Halo Campaign Evolved trophy list: All achievements and how to unlock

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How to claim free armor suit in Halo Campaign Evolved (Sandstone Ancient armor)

Early access for Halo Campaign Evolved has now gone live across every supported platform, and as part of that rollout, the developers are handing out the Sandstone Ancient armor style to all players as a small thank you for sticking around through the wait. It’s a genuinely free unlock, and there’s no purchase or grind attached to it.

Claiming this armor suit in Halo Campaign Evolved starts with signing into a Microsoft account through the official Microsoft website. Once that login step is done, the page automatically redirects over to Halo Waypoint, which is where the actual redemption happens.

On Halo Waypoint, there’s an option labeled Redeem Your Code, and that’s the spot to enter the following code exactly as shown:

Read more: All vehicles in Halo Campaign Evolved and their features

Punch that in, confirm it, and the Sandstone Ancient rmor suit in Halo Campaign Evolved gets added to the account’s inventory automatically, the same way any other cosmetic armor unlock would show up. There’s no extra download or patch needed on top of that, it just appears ready to equip in the customization menu.

Anyone chasing more free cosmetics can check out our guide on obtaining the Fanta Armor Skin in Halo Campaign Evolved.

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