It is his annual home race at the Silverstone Circuit, and Lando Norris has his own grandstand in neon yellow, fans that are cheering him on every lap at the 2026 F1 British GP.
Even McLaren has a special livery for what could be the greatest home Grand Prix of the year–considering that there are five Brits on the grid. But Norris knows better than to sugarcoat his performance on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of the race, Norris gave a straightforward sneak peek into his thoughts. He reflected on McLaren’s performance—or rather on how they are not performing.
Norris on the fundamental issue McLaren is having at the F1 British GP
McLaren have had their up and downs this season. Multiple DNFs or DNSs to start of the season on the back foot. McLaren is having serious issues in the pace-department and that is no secret. The reoccurring theme with the British team is that they’re slow—and not doing well at catching Mercedes.
Current Formula 1 champion Lando Norris experienced this weekend what could be seen as a victory, which was really just a spot on the podium next to Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton in the Sprint.
However, comparing Sprint Qualifying, where Norris was four tenths off pole, and qualifying for Sunday’s race, where he was seven tenths off pole, the only question was if McLaren was regressing—pace-wise of course.
“No, I think I felt like my lap was very good. I think we improved the car. We’re just further off,” the Briton reported.
But that was not enough info, therefore Norris was pushed to elaborate on the matter in greater detail. The Brit explained that he could not give the explanation that the media would hope for.
“I’m not an engineer. I just drive the car.”
Norris qualified nowhere near pole, in fact, he finished sixth, 0.02s ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Q1 and Q2 must have been incredibly nerve-wrecking for McLaren and Lando Norris, not landing in the top 10 in Q1 and barely reaching the top 10 in Q2.
“We’re just slow,” was his honest feeling.
“Happy” Norris after “tough” Qualifying at F1 British GP
Saturday was no walk in the park for the British team. However, Norris shared that he was positively impressed by his improvement in Q3.
“I mean, it’s just tough. We set up a new pace. It was 7 tenths off pole and I thought my lap was pretty amazing. In fact, I was very happy with my lap. I improved in every single corner and I felt like I got everything out of the car. We’re just slow.”
In more detail he explained that McLaren was struggling everywhere.
“The car was slow in straights. We’re slow in all the corners. There’s nothing more I can say apart from that. The car is not very efficient at the minute, which makes it pretty unbelievable that we finished P3 earlier today considering we’re 7 tenths off. There’s no excuses.”
He clarified that the MCL40 is not one of the best cars at the moment but that they aren’t going to give up without a fight.
“The car is not good enough and we know that. We just have to keep working hard, that’s it.”
Honest Norris: “We’re not slower, we’re just the same”
Now that Lando Norris clarified that McLaren was in fact slow, one might wonder if he thinks if other teams were just slower than their pace. P6 would’ve been a tremendously disappointing finish in Qualifying for 2025 McLaren, however, Norris explained that things have changed, and that qualifying P6 at the F1 British GP was a positive result compared to some other weekends.
Nevertheless, he explained that what Silverstone calls for is something McLaren isn’t able to provide.
“It’s not often we’ve been better than P6 this year. This track is the perfect highlight of an efficient car, one that’s quick in the straight and it’s good in corners. We’re bad in both.
“I was 4 tenths off in Austria in a one-minute track. This is 1 minute 30 and I’m 7 tenths off, so it makes sense. We’re not slower, we’re just the same.”
Norris on Friday’s performance compared to Saturday’s
On Friday he was really close to the top-contenders but on Saturday he was far off. However, he couldn’t put a finger to it as well. His theory was that it might not have been McLaren’s change of performance but rather the performance of the opponents and that they remained the same.
“Honestly, I have no idea. I felt happier in the car today. I felt like we got a lot more out of it. Maybe my lap yesterday was just magical and everyone else didn’t do a good job. Today all the people did a good job, so I think that’s the case.”
Lastly, Norris shared that the team would work on the issues ahead of Sunday’s race of the F1 British GP.
“Otherwise, it’s for the engineers to work out and for me to try and drive tomorrow.”
Norris on why Mercedes is better than them this season
Antonelli is the current championship leader with almost 100 points more. George Russell isn’t doing bad either, with just 40 points to his teammate, second in the standings.
Mercedes is absolutely dominating the season–except for a few mishaps. Norris admitted that he also sees Mercedes’ car as the best on the grid.
“They have a good car; they have a much better car.”
