P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Liam Lawson has explained how he was taken by surprise at one aspect of the new 2026 F1 cars.
Liam Lawson was surprised by the physical difficulty of the new generation F1 cars for 2026, as they are not as easy to handle as he initially expected. The narrower and smaller cars have lowered corner speeds, and the need to harvest energy before long straights also contributes to reduced speeds. Despite the reduced speeds and lower G-forces, drivers spend more time navigating through corners with the new cars. Lawson admitted that he had misjudged the ease of driving the 2026 cars, finding them challenging and different from anything he has driven before. He highlighted the significant differences between F1 and F2 cars, noting that the new F1 machines have increased the gap between the two categories, making the transition even more daunting.
