Lando Norris Leads McLaren Charge at British Grand Prix Practice

Silverstone, United Kingdom – Lando Norris from McLaren secured the top position during Friday’s practice sessions at the British Grand Prix, clocking a time of 1:25.816. This performance placed him ahead of Ferrari‘s Charles Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton, who were just fractions behind.

Norris, competing in his home race, is currently 15 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth with a time of 1:26.286. Leclerc trailed Norris by 0.222 seconds, while Hamilton was 0.301 seconds off the pace.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull struggled with front grip issues and ended the session in fifth, 0.498 seconds slower than Norris. “The car just doesn’t respond,” he said over the radio, expressing his frustration as he navigated the high-speed corners of Silverstone.

The heaviness of competition was evident, especially as Ferrari’s Leclerc noted that his team is working to maximize their qualifying performance despite their strong showing. “We need to maximize qualifying, but the setup for the race feels pretty good,” said Leclerc.

This week marks a significant one for Formula 1 as the championship celebrates its 75th anniversary. Competitors are eager to demonstrate their strength in a race that traditionally draws large crowds.

The weather forecast for the weekend predicts challenging conditions, with showers expected on race day. As teams prepare for the final practice session scheduled for Saturday at 11:30 BST, the tension continues to build for what promises to be an exciting qualifying round.