Lando Norris knows this is his best chance so far to win the British Grand Prix. He arrives at Silverstone with the fastest car and renewed confidence.
Norris’ McLaren team have won eight of the first 11 Grands Prix this year. The Englishman grabbed his third victory of the campaign in Austria last time out after a scintillating pole position.
He’s finished on the podium on his last two visits, but he enters as the favourite for the first time. He arguably should have won last year, but neither he nor McLaren executed at the level to beat an inspired Lewis Hamilton.
Photo by Mario Renzi – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
Hamilton claimed a record-breaking ninth Silverstone win in 2024. This season, he may be content with a podium, having failed to crack the top three for Ferrari.
Lando Norris craves more battles with fellow British Grand Prix favourite Lewis Hamilton
In an interview with F1’s official channel at McLaren’s pre-race fan event in Trafalgar Square, Norris spoke about Hamilton in almost reverential terms. He still feels honoured to race against the 40-year-old, six years after he broke into F1.
Born in 1999, he grew up watching Hamilton’s ‘prime’ years. Norris was only eight when the ex-McLaren driver won the British Grand Prix for the first time.
Norris naturally wants to ‘take over’ as the pre-eminent British driver. But before that, he’s longing for a few more battles with Hamilton.
“For me, even the fact I get to say I’m racing against Lewis, I still find that surreal,” he said. “I still find it cool. At times, it feels more normal because you’re competing against him every year, and race after race.
“It’s still cool that I’m racing against one of the best drivers ever in Formula 1. For me, that’s special, it’s who I looked up to when I was a kid.
“His prime was probably when I was watching Formula 1. That was his first few years, but it was Lewis, Fernando, McLaren.
“Hopefully it’s my turn not to fill his boots, because they’re very big boots to fill, but take the reins a little bit and do our country proud to take over for the Brits.
“But Lewis is still going strong. Everyone wants him to do well. I want him to do well. I want to race against him a little bit before he goes.”
Lando Norris is careful to avoid one Lewis Hamilton trap in F1 interviews
In Thursday’s press conference, Norris was asked whether he’s ‘the British number one’. Aware of the headlines he could create, he said: “I’m not even going to say it.”
He’s clearly wary that his words will be twisted to appear disrespectful to the seven-time world champion. And while he’s played down his achievements in the past, he seems to have gained admiration.
Indeed, Norris ‘can’t even dream’ of matching Hamilton’s records. He’s realising this season just how hard it is to win a world championship.
Hamilton’s 2008 Silverstone win remains McLaren’s most recent triumph on home soil. If Norris ends that drought this weekend, he will cut Oscar Piastri’s championship lead to single figures at best.
