The pre-qualifying pick that aided Norris to fight Verstappen and "murder" Hamilton

Lando Norris starred at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix by leading 2023’s dominator Max Verstappen over the opening laps before gallantly defending from Lewis Hamilton. While conditions and track characteristics may have favoured his updated McLaren, the British driver still needed to make a key pre-qualifying call to bring everything together

The Silverstone crowd roared instantly. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris had launched off the front row for last Sunday’s 2023 British Grand Prix in unison, but the home hero was rapidly shooting past his good friend and into the lead. He sealed it at Abbey’s exit, then went unruffled into the first braking point at Village. The crowd dared to dream.

Eventually, Verstappen and Red Bull showed ruthless efficiency once again to claim a second Formula 1 win here for the Dutchman. That makes it six in a row for Verstappen, 11 for Red Bull – equalling the record set by McLaren in 1988. The points gap from Verstappen to Sergio Perez is now 99. The crowd had had to dream.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.