Norris: Doing better than Austria 'a bit of a stretch' for McLaren

Lando Norris vows to uphold this weekend at Silverstone the momentum McLaren displayed in Austria but imagining doing any better in his home race "is a bit of a stretch".

Norris made the most of a first-stage upgrade package introduced by McLaren at the Red Bull Ring and which carried the Briton to fourth place in qualifying and on race day.

McLaren has implemented more upgrades for the British Grand Prix, with the team's MCL60 sporting a new front wing and nose box assembly at Silverstone designed to further improve its car's aerodynamic efficiency.

At Spielberg, Norris was preceded by both Red Bulls and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Repeated that result on home turf would constitute a success for the Briton.

"I’m hoping for something similar," he said. "I don’t expect it really to be any better, but I think that’s still me remaining positive. I’m still looking forward to it.

"We definitely took a step forward, we caught up with some of the competition, we overtook a lot of the competition – but Austria has always been our best race of the season, like by quite a way.

"So I think we can try to maintain that pace this weekend – that’s our aim – doing any better than that is a bit of a stretch but we’re definitely getting there.

"A couple of little things on the car this weekend that we can add to it. If we can just start to consolidate these positions, or this area that we’re racing in, then I’ll be happy.

"But it’s close. If we can race against Mercedes and Aston this weekend, I’ll still be happy."

• Read also: Norris goes full mirror mode with Chrome lid

Although McLaren has taken a step forward, Norris said the characteristics of his car had remained the same, meaning it is quicker but not easier to drive.

"The whole season we’ve been a little bit up-and-down," he explained. "Some tracks, the car works very well and some tracks not so much.

"We made the car quicker. We didn’t make it any easier to drive, and I think that’s our next target to try to achieve.

"But like I said, Austria’s our best race, so I don’t think it’s going to get much better – but you never know. This weekend we’ll try to do better, but just try to maintain that area that we’re racing in.

"If we can race against Astons, I think we’d still very happy; if we can race against Mercedes, I think we’ve still be very happy. But even doing that I think is quite a big ask still."

As one of three popular Britons on the grid this weekend – along with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell – Norris admitted that scoring a podium in front of his home crowd would be a very special achievement.

"If there’s one place in the whole season that I’d love to do it more than anything, then it’s here," he said.

"As much as I would love any podium, or any win, whatever it is, the one place I would love to do it – even over Monaco and all of those special places – the home race for me is the one place I’d love to do it.

"So, I guess I’ve grown up watching Lewis [Hamilton] do well here and it be one of his most competitive circuits, you see what it means to him and at the same time, what it means to the fans, and the supporters who are there, cheering the Brits on.

"So if I and we as a team can deliver a good result for the home fans, that would make it even more special."

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