McLaren driver Lando Norris is hoping that his teammate and championship rival, Oscar Piastri, receives a balanced and non-hostile welcome from the home crowd when their title battle reaches the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend.
What is increasingly shaping up to be an all-McLaren fight for the Drivers` Championship sees the two drivers, known for their papaya-coloured cars, separated by just 15 points. This gap follows Norris`s victory over championship leader Piastri at the recent Austrian Grand Prix, a significant result leading into his home race.
As a key title contender, Norris is expected to receive substantial support at Silverstone. This year, he even has his own dedicated grandstand, a sold-out `Landostand` with 10,000 seats located at Stowe corner.
During the post-race press conference on Sunday, which followed McLaren`s fourth one-two finish of the season, the Australian driver, Piastri, was asked if he had any concerns about encountering a hostile reception at Norris`s home event.
Norris addressed the question first, stating, “I mean, I certainly hope that part`s not going to happen. The British fans are normally very accepting for all of us and especially for us as McLaren. So I think the first point should be for all the fans to embrace everyone and to support everyone.”
Piastri, who joined the Woking-based McLaren team in 2023, commented that he has generally experienced good support from the Silverstone spectators. However, he acknowledged that it is completely natural for Norris to enjoy a much larger following this particular weekend.
“A couple of years ago they were chanting my name in the crowd, so that was unexpected,” Piastri recalled. “I`m not sure I`ll quite get that again, which is fair enough. I feel like the fans in general this year have been a bit nicer to us. We didn`t even have Max Verstappen fans booing us today, so that was a nice change. They`ve always been very accepting of me.”
He added, “Obviously, I race for a British team, and I think they`re big fans of everything papaya and that includes both of us. I`m expecting there to be a lot more Lando fans than me fans, but that`s fair. It`s his home race as well, so I think it`ll be fine.”
British Grand Prix organizers also do not foresee any issues with fan behavior.
Stuart Pringle, Silverstone`s managing director, told Sky Sports News, “I`m absolutely certain. Everybody loves good sport here at Silverstone and that`s a great battle at the front amongst those two team-mates. We`ve got knowledgeable fans here, people who love the sport.”
Pringle emphasized Silverstone`s history, saying, “Silverstone delivers time and time again. Seventy-five years of running racing here and it continues to give us great racing with this modern generation of cars.”
Norris`s Aim for a Home Victory
Norris`s commanding win over Piastri at the Red Bull Ring makes him a strong contender for victory at Silverstone, where he has finished second and third in the last two seasons respectively.
Despite his previous podiums, a genuine opportunity for a home win slipped away last year due to strategic errors in a race affected by unpredictable weather.
Looking forward to his seventh British Grand Prix appearance, Norris shared his excitement with Sky Sports F1, stating, “I`m excited. It`s the best race of the year. I`ve got my own grandstand and everything, so very excited.”
He elaborated in the press conference, saying, “I don`t think there`s any more pressure. Of course, it`s a place I want to win more than anywhere else, but it doesn`t change anything. It just puts a bit more of a smile on my face every morning when I wake up.”
Norris views the anticipation and his dedicated fan zone as a positive influence rather than added pressure. “It probably distracts me in a good way more than anything. Now I`ve got my own grandstand, and I`ve got more reasoning for different things. More of a positive distraction, I would say, more than a pressure.”
Marcus Prine