Norris: McLaren pace strong but ‘nothing to be proud about yet’

Lando Norris topped the timesheets in second practice at the British Grand Prix, but the McLaren driver remains cautious about Ferrari’s strong showing, admitting the Scuderia could pose a serious challenge as the weekend unfolds.

Norris ended Friday fastest in front of his home crowd at Silverstone, delivering what he described as “a very strong lap” to finish ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

While satisfied with his performance, the McLaren charger is not letting the result inflate expectations prematurely.

Speaking after FP2, Norris acknowledged that Ferrari’s pace was a concern heading into the rest of the Silverstone weekend.

“In general the Ferraris have been very, very quick today and they shall be tomorrow,” he told the official F1 channel. “So I think we have a bit of work to do, to be honest.

“It looked maybe a bit ‘too good’ today. Ferrari always catch up into [third practice] like they did last weekend. So I’d say I’m pleased with today, but nothing to be too proud about just yet.”

Norris, who claimed victory last weekend in Austria, will be aiming to convert his home advantage into another strong qualifying and race performance – but he is aware that Ferrari, buoyed by recent upgrades, are likely to push team papaya all the way.

Piastri also Flags Ferrari’s Pace

Oscar Piastri, who ended the day fourth, just ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, was also caught off-guard by the speed of the Scuderia’s SF-25.

“It was a bit of a surprise,” Piastri admitted after seeing a Ferrari split the two McLarens in practice.

“They looked good, both in the qualifying runs and the longer runs as well. So I think they’re in the fight this weekend which is interesting to see.”

The Australian wasn’t quite able to match his teammate over a flying lap, but suggested there was more pace to come.

“The soft tyre [lap] was a little bit messy for me,” he said. “But I think the potential is definitely there and the long runs look pretty solid as well. So an interesting first day and I think a lot of competition.”

Stella: “Ferrari competition looks tight”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella echoed his drivers’ sentiments and praised the team’s progress, while also sounding a note of caution about the depth of competition – especially from Ferrari.

“It’s been a positive first day here at our home race at Silverstone,” said Stella. “We were able to gather valuable data across our test items and set a reasonable baseline in terms of performance, despite the tricky conditions, especially with the gusting wind.

“The competition looks tight, particularly Ferrari, which we thought might be the case coming into the weekend. We’ll be working hard overnight to optimise the car and ensure we qualify well tomorrow and give ourselves the best possible chance for Sunday’s Grand Prix.”

As qualifying approaches, McLaren will be aiming to maintain their edge – but with Ferrari closing in, the battle at the front promises to be one of the fiercest yet this season.

• Read also: Hamilton says Ferrari ‘can dream of a strong weekend’

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