July 10th 2023.
Lando Norris enjoyed a dream weekend at the British Grand Prix, marking the rise of a new British sporting hero as he swept into Abbey in the lead to a roar from the 140,000 crowd. Going up against Max Verstappen, Norris secured a joint best finish of second place after a poor start from the world champion. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium to give British fans their first home-grown double rostrum finish since David Coulthard and Eddie Irvine sprayed the champagne in 1999.
McLaren looked to be nowhere until Norris and rookie teammate Oscar Piastri qualified P2 and P3. It was only due to a safety car that the Australian fell out of the top three. For Verstappen’s leftovers, there’s now an almighty scrap on between McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin. Aston began the season with the second-best car but have dropped back, and Lance Stroll is still failing to match his team-mate.
Ferrari were best of the rest in Azerbaijan and Austria, but only picked up three points on Sunday. Mercedes have been inconsistent. They are second in the standings but have fewer than half the points of Red Bull and just five podiums – one less than Aston’s Fernando Alonso. Red Bull boss Christian Horner says the shifting form of his team’s rivals makes life a lot easier. ‘It means we just focus on ourselves and it’s somebody else [second] every week.’
Of course, Red Bull should have second place sealed too, but for Sergio Perez’ woeful qualifying results. Starting 15th, he fought back to sixth in the race. He remains second in the championship but is in danger of becoming an afterthought within his own team given Verstappen has enough points to be leading the constructors’ championship all on his own. ‘I have no doubts I will overcome this,’ said Perez, a six-time grand-prix winner.
There have been rumours for some time that Red Bull are prepared to dig into their coffers to buy Lando out of his McLaren contract and replace the Mexican with the boy from Bristol. Max-Lando would be a mighty pair, plus they are good mates – though whether that would last is debatable. Mercedes, too, are keen on Norris. Who wouldn’t be, after this weekend? If McLaren are to hold on to him, they need to keep improving and give him the tools he needs to stand on the top step.
At the Silverstone starting grid on Sunday, Hollywood star Brad Pitt joined the sport’s real-life stars for his upcoming grand-prix flick. Lewis Hamilton, who is serving as a producer, described it as ‘the best drivers’ briefing we’ve ever had’. Max Verstappen greeted the actor warmly but was less gushing about Hollywood’s newfound taste for F1. ‘I completely can’t be bothered with this,’ he said.
Martin Brundle's Sky Sports F1 gridwalk was also a source of much discussion. Denied access to model-actress Cara Delevingne, who didn’t want to talk, the driver-turned-broadcaster responded sarcastically, telling viewers: ‘I’m sure that would have been extremely interesting.’ Many F1 fans took the view that if you don’t know who Brundle is, or aren’t willing to learn, then you shouldn’t have the privilege of a grid pass.
But this wasn’t the grid’s biggest snub. Channel 4’s David Coulthard was dismissive of a friendly bearded chap who went to shake his hand: ‘A random gentleman – I’m not exactly sure who he was.’ In fact, it was three-time GP winner Heinz-Harald Frentzen who shared the F1 grid with DC for a whole decade. Ouch.
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