Lando Norris admitted he isn`t certain if he currently holds the title of Britain`s leading Formula 1 driver, but stated he is actively working towards establishing himself as the nation`s best.
Norris is one of four British competitors – alongside Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Oliver Bearman – who will benefit from home support at this weekend`s British Grand Prix.
The 25-year-old is pursuing his maiden drivers` championship this season and is currently placed second in the standings, 15 points behind his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. He sits comfortably ahead of fellow Britons George Russell in fourth and Lewis Hamilton in sixth.
Despite his strong position in the current standings, Norris acknowledged that many people would likely still rank the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, holder of a record 105 F1 race wins, above him based on historical success.
Norris commented: “I believe I have the best opportunity to win this race, and realistically, I`m the British driver most likely to be competing for the championship this year.”
“Am I the British number one? I`m not sure. I don`t know how much historical achievements should be factored in.”
“If you do consider history, then Lewis is quite clearly at the top. He has significantly more race wins, pole positions, and championships than anyone else combined, really.”
“Perhaps I`m the favourite for this specific weekend from a British perspective, but I don`t know. That`s a judgment for the media to make about people`s standing, not for me.”
“It would be great to achieve that. That`s my objective. It`s the same goal for any athlete in any sport, whether it`s tennis or golf – you aim to be number one. I would say I haven`t proven myself to be that yet, but it`s something I`m actively working towards.”
A Home Victory Would Be More Special Than Monaco
Norris has secured three victories this season, bringing his career total to seven. He regards his win at the Monaco Grand Prix in May as the most special so far.
However, Norris seemed slightly hesitant when asked if he still stood by his pre-Monaco declaration that he would trade all his previous race wins (five at the time) for a single victory at Silverstone.
He stated: “I think it`s tough to ever value anything above Monaco, but I did say before Monaco that if I could choose any win, if I could swap all my race victories for just one, it would be for a win at Silverstone. So, that remains the plan.”
“Naturally, there`s a lot of hard work and many steps needed before then, but Monaco truly is special.”
“I believe a Silverstone win would feel very different, for distinct reasons. Monaco`s significance comes purely from its history, what it represents to everyone, and the legendary drivers who have won there.”
“Silverstone, on the other hand, is special because it`s my home race, important due to the British fans and all the Lando supporters.”
“So, different reasons, but a Silverstone victory would likely bring the biggest smile to my face, even bigger than Monaco, and it`s the race I`ve most wanted to win since I was a child and first started following Formula 1.”
Hoping for a Performance Boost at Home
Norris rebounded from the disappointment of his collision with teammate Piastri in Canada by claiming pole position and winning the subsequent race in Austria, reigniting his championship aspirations.
McLaren has introduced upgrades to their MCL39 car aimed at improving Norris`s comfort level in the cockpit. Earlier in the season, he had expressed struggles with a “lack of feeling” at the front of the car.
He remains aware that his strong performance in Austria doesn`t automatically guarantee success at Silverstone, but he is hopeful that the combination of his updated car and the support from the home crowd will help him maintain his positive momentum.
Norris commented: “I definitely felt more comfortable and back on track in Austria, but there`s no guarantee that I`ll have the exact same feeling here.”
“Sometimes performance can be very specific to the track layout, the tarmac, tire temperatures, or other factors. I certainly felt better and more `in the rhythm` in Austria.”
“My qualifying lap in Q3 there was one of the best I`ve ever completed. I definitely felt that sensation, a bit more like my old self, but I`m also cautious about simply saying `I`m back.`”
“I believe I need to prove that with consistent results and prove it to myself, as always. Austria simply provides more motivation coming here to try and achieve something similar to last weekend.”
“You always hope your home race provides a bit of an advantage. So, I`m hoping that will be the case this weekend.”
British GP Weekend Schedule
Friday July 4
8:45 AM: F3 Practice
9:55 AM: F2 Practice
12:00 PM: British GP Practice One (session starts 12:30 PM)
1:55 PM: F3 Qualifying
2:50 PM: F2 Qualifying
3:35 PM: British GP Practice Two (session starts 4:00 PM)
5:15 PM: The F1 Show
Saturday July 5
9:10 AM: F3 Sprint
11:15 AM: British GP Practice Three (session starts 11:30 AM)
1:10 PM: F2 Sprint
2:15 PM: British GP Qualifying build-up*
3:00 PM: BRITISH GP QUALIFYING*
4:55 PM: F4 Race 1
5:40 PM: Ted`s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday July 6
8:15 AM: F4 Race 2
9:25 AM: F3 Feature Race
11:00 AM: F2 Feature Race
1:30 PM: Grand Prix Sunday: British GP build-up*
3:00 PM: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX*
5:00 PM: Chequered Flag: British GP reaction*
6:00 PM: Ted`s Notebook*
* Also shown on Main Event
Gilbert Pendleton