Lando Norris has recently called out the structure present in Formula 2 and Formula 3. Being the feeder series of Formula 1, the two categories should have had more seriousness, to begin with, believes the McLaren driver.
When the FIA with F1 authority are trying to bring in more changes to the F1, Norris believes they should also shed some light on F2 and F3. The British driver thinks the junior drivers deserve to have more track time to gather race experience.
P6, points on the board, pizza shapes in the bag. Happy days pic.twitter.com/IhLJBJ8dV2
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) April 2, 2023
Admittedly, both F2 and F3 have just one practice session before the qualifications begin. Followed by the qualifying session, there are sprint races and then the feature race. The 23-year-old driver believes the driver should get more time before the qualifications begin otherwise.
F2 and F3 are pretty expensive for the drivers going to compete. However, the experience gathered is negligible and “shocking” regarding the return on investment, and “it’s really stupid,” Norris feels.
Tire availability is a big factor in junior categories
The McLaren driver also emphasized how the junior category drivers do not get enough to play with tires. Getting to know the track and the tire is a big deal before the drivers take the track for the feature race.
Norris said, “To give them more track time, more sets of tires in practice, they have one set of tires for FP1, which is nothing. For F2 and F3, one is that they have terrible tires which last about a lap.”
On the track today, on the track again tomorrow 🚶♂️ pic.twitter.com/6siYGHn54P
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) March 16, 2023
Norris’s fellow compatriot George Russell also shared the same view. Russell feels the feeder series deserves more track time for more practice to get more comfortable with the car.
Norris supports Sprint’s proposals
The young British driver offered a positive reaction to the newly proposed sprint qualification, unlike Max Verstappen. As per the new rules, the sprint result will not be the grid setter for Sunday’s final race.
F1 plans to shift the qualifying session for the main race to Friday, with the Sprint race having its own qualification and race. Norris, supporting this, said, “I think that’s what all the drivers have always said, to be honest – it shouldn’t be connected to the main race.”
However, the authorities are yet to finalize the format and give a green signal ahead of the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku. It’ll be interesting to see how a different sprint weekend turns out to be.
