Norris laughs: 'Depends on whether Hamilton stays within track limits now'

"Yeah, it depends if Lewis keeps it within the track limits," Norris laughed ahead of the British Grand Prix, referring to the 10-second time penalty Hamilton still received after the race at the Red Bull Ring. In any case, he hopes to take on the duel. "I think if we can fight with Mercedes we'll be happy. I think last weekend Mercedes just had a pretty tough weekend. Through the rest of it they've been quicker than us in every single race this season and qualifying."

The McLaren driver also hopes for the fans that he can challenge Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. "Of course, we've got Alex there as well. I think after FP1 and FP2 we'll be able to get a good read on where we stand. If it's close enough to Mercedes then I'm looking forward to Sunday and see who can come out on top," he said.

Norris on repeat?

Showers are forecast for Sunday, but whether that precipitation will reach the circuit is uncertain. Norris was very good in the wet in Austria. "I think we understand the reasons why we were particularly good in the rain. I think we know where we're very strong and where we're struggling a lot more. Some of them go hand in hand and then provide the reasons for why we were also strong in the wet. I wouldn't say we were outstanding last weekend when it started to rain in the sprint race."

There is no guarantee that the McLaren will now perform well again on damp or wet tarmac. "I think we have to wait and see how we just perform on this track. We'll see how Friday goes. Then I'll be able to understand if we can be a good contender in the wet or not. I always enjoy those conditions. We had them last year and qualifying went well."