Norris contradicts Hamilton: 'What on earth are you talking about?’'

The good-humoured Lando Norris has plenty of reasons to smile again. His McLaren car has been a podium-winning car since the British Grand Prix. Speaking to The Athletic, the young Briton talked about the progress the team has made.

Norris has become part of the F1 furniture. The charismatic McLaren star is not only a crowd favourite, but also one of the highest-rated racing talents on the grid. As a little boy, he dreamed of being allowed to fight with compatriot Lewis Hamilton. His dream came true at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, where Norris saw victory slip out of his hands after an apotheosis.

But this year too, the youngster was allowed to fire up the seven-time world champion. Indeed, at this year's British Grand Prix he captured P2, at Hamilton's expense. He did not expect that at the start of the season, when McLaren was among the back markers. "He’s never done that in his life, [fighting for P19.] That’s the only thing that Lewis hasn’t done that I have in Formula One," he said.

At Silverstone, the Woking-based team came out with an impressive set of upgrades for the second time in a row. Suddenly the team was competing for pole position as well as the podium. "We found about three to four tenths," Norris said. In doing so, he contradicted Hamilton's assessment. "Lewis told me one second. I’m like, ‘What on earth are you talking about?’ They have enough data to know it’s not one second’s worth."

Lando Norris is currently eighth in the drivers' championship. McLaren is comfortably fifth in the constructors' championship.