Lando Norris has admitted uncertainty about whether he currently holds the title of Britain`s top Formula 1 driver but stated his commitment to working towards establishing himself as the nation`s best.
The 25-year-old is one of four British drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Oliver Bearman, who will receive home support at this weekend`s British Grand Prix.
Norris is currently second in the championship standings, trailing his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by 15 points as they both pursue their maiden drivers` title. He is comfortably ahead of George Russell in fourth place and Lewis Hamilton in sixth.
Despite his strong position in the current standings, Norris acknowledged that many people would likely still rank seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, with a record 105 F1 victories, above him.
Norris commented, “I believe I have the best chance of winning the race, and I`m the most likely driver fighting for the championship this season [among the British drivers].”
“Am I the British number one? I`m not sure. It depends on how much historical achievement you consider.”
“I think if you factor in history, then Lewis is quite clearly at the top. He has significantly more race wins, pole positions, and championships than virtually anyone else combined.”
“Perhaps I`m considered the favorite for the weekend from a British perspective, but I don`t know. That`s for you [the media] to decide the rankings, not for me.”
“It would be great. That`s my objective. It`s the same for any athlete in any sport – tennis, golf. You aspire to be number one. However, I feel I haven`t proven myself to be that yet, but it`s something I`m actively pursuing.”
Silverstone Win Valued Above Monaco Triumph
Norris`s three victories this season have increased his career total to seven. In his opinion, the most significant win so far was at the Monaco Grand Prix in May.
Norris seemed slightly hesitant when asked if he still stood by his pre-Monaco assertion that he would trade all his career wins (five at the time) for a single victory at Silverstone.
He stated, “I think it`s difficult to ever place anything above Monaco, but I did say before Monaco that if I could win any race, if I could swap all my wins for one, it would be for a Silverstone victory. So, that remains the plan.”
“Naturally, there`s a lot of effort and many things to accomplish before then. But Monaco is truly special.”
“I think they would be very different wins, for different reasons. Monaco`s significance lies in its history and the legendary drivers who have won there.”
“Silverstone is special because it`s my home race, and it`s for the British fans and the Lando fans, all those supporters.”
“So, while special for different reasons, a Silverstone win would probably bring the biggest smile to my face, even bigger than Monaco. It`s the race I`ve wanted to win the most since I was a child and started watching Formula 1.”
Hoping for Home Advantage
Norris bounced back from a disappointing incident involving teammate Oscar Piastri in Canada by winning from pole position in the subsequent race in Austria, reigniting his championship challenge.
McLaren has introduced upgrades to the MCL39 aimed at enhancing Norris`s comfort and confidence in the cockpit. He had previously described struggling with a `lack of feeling` from the front of the car during the early part of the season.
He remains cautious, acknowledging that a strong performance in Austria doesn`t guarantee similar success at Silverstone, but he is hopeful that the combination of his updated car and the boost from home support will help him maintain momentum.
Norris said, “I definitely felt more settled and on track in Austria, but there`s no guarantee I`ll experience the same feeling here.”
“Sometimes performance can be highly specific to the track layout, tarmac, tire temperatures, and other factors. I certainly felt better and more in rhythm.”
“My qualifying lap in Q3 was one of my best ever. I definitely got that feeling, a bit more of the old me returning, but I`m also not one to simply declare I`m `back`.”
“I believe I need to prove that through consistent performance and prove it to myself, as always. Austria simply provides extra motivation heading into this weekend to try and replicate last weekend`s result.”
“You always hope your home race provides a bit of an advantage. So, I hope that turns out to be the case this weekend.”
Marcus Prine