Returning to Silverstone for the 2025 F1 British GP, fresh off his Austrian GP victory, Lando Norris appeared relaxed and upbeat as he soaked in the atmosphere of his home race. With a personal grandstand and a swelling fanbase behind him, the McLaren driver is relishing the spotlight and all that comes with it.
Norris “excited for everything” but focused ahead of home race
“I mean, I am very excited for everything. Every day is one to look forward to,” Norris said, speaking ahead of the 2025 F1 British GP weekend. “Of course, the driving on track is still the best bit, but I have already done some stuff this morning. We did Trafalgar Square yesterday, which was pretty special. I went over to the stands earlier this morning.”
Yet, despite the off-track commitments and fanfare, Norris remains laser-focused on the job ahead. “So, plenty of things for me to look forward to. All good things, all exciting things, more like a positive distraction more than anything else. So, it is good. And, of course, coming off Austria is a nice feeling too. So, ready to get going.”
With the crowd firmly behind him and McLaren on an upward trajectory, Silverstone presents an ideal opportunity for Norris to continue his title challenge in front of the British faithful.
A humble response to British number one hype
With Lewis Hamilton nearing the twilight of his F1 career and George Russell still seeking a consistent run of results, attention has naturally turned to Norris as Britain’s leading title contender in 2025. However, the 24-year-old is not rushing to accept the ‘British number one’ title just yet.
“I mean, theoretically… I am not even going to say it,” Norris replied with a smile when asked if he sees himself as Britain’s top driver heading into the weekend. He added, “I have the best chance of winning the race, I would say, and of course the one who is most likely fighting for the Championship this season.”
While Norris acknowledged the numbers, he made it clear that respect for Hamilton’s accomplishments still shapes his perspective.
“Am I British number one? I do not know,” he said.
He continued, “I do not know how much you take history into account. I think if you still take history into account, then Lewis is quite convincingly at the top. A lot more race wins and poles and championships than anyone else really, put together.”
Norris concluded by emphasising that, while he might be the current front-runner on paper, he still has much to prove. “So, maybe I am the favourite of the weekend from a British point of view, but I do not know. That is your job to put the numbers on people, not mine. It would be nice. That is my goal. It is the same as it is with any sportsman in whatever series they are, tennis, golf. You want to be number one, but I would say I have not proven myself to be that yet, but it is something I am working on.”
