Daijiworld Media Network – Silverstone

Silverstone, Jul 5: British star Lando Norris thrilled home fans at Silverstone on Friday by setting the fastest time in second practice for this weekend’s British Grand Prix. Driving for McLaren, the 25-year-old clocked a blistering lap of 1:25.816, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.222 seconds in gusty conditions.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, now with Ferrari, continued his resurgence by finishing third—just three-tenths behind Norris—after topping FP1 earlier in the day, marking his first practice lead since last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri, who holds a 15-point advantage over Norris, came in fourth in the second McLaren, while a frustrated Max Verstappen managed only fifth. The Red Bull driver complained about car balance throughout the session, saying, “They just don’t respond,” in reference to his front tyres during high-speed corners.

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed with sixth place, followed by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, George Russell in the second Mercedes, and RB drivers Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson rounding off the top ten.

McLaren boss Zak Brown praised Norris' performance, saying, “That was a good lap from Lando. But Ferrari look very strong here and are fast on both one-lap and race pace.”

Meanwhile, speculation swirled around Verstappen's future amid rumours of a potential move to Mercedes. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner neither confirmed nor denied the reports but acknowledged a performance-based exit clause in Verstappen's contract.

“Contracts are confidential, but there is an element of performance mechanism in Max’s deal. His intention is to drive for us in 2026, but he’s naturally of interest to other teams,” Horner said.

As anticipation builds for Sunday’s race, the drama on and off the track continues to intensify, with the championship fight and future driver moves keeping fans on the edge of their seats.