McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri reflected on their performances and the challenges faced during the 2026 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The weekend included both the Sprint race and the main event, where McLaren found themselves up against strong competition from Ferrari, Mercedes, and Racing Bulls.
Norris secured a fourth-place finish in the Grand Prix and came third in the Sprint race. Despite these solid results, he acknowledged that McLaren struggled with pace compared to their main rivals. Norris pointed out that the MCL40 lacked sufficient grip and downforce, which made it difficult to extract the best performance on Silverstone’s high-speed layout. He also noted some fortunate circumstances during the race, such as issues affecting Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen, but stressed that the team still has significant areas to improve.
Oscar Piastri faced a tougher weekend, finishing 11th in the race after sustaining front wing damage on the opening lap. This was caused by a three-wide incident involving Racing Bulls cars, which compromised his race pace early on. Both drivers agreed that McLaren’s home race highlighted the need for development and refinement in their car’s performance.
Despite the challenges, Norris remains optimistic about McLaren’s potential. He expressed confidence that the team can develop cars capable of winning races and contending for championships. Although he is currently 82 points behind Antonelli with 13 races remaining, Norris did not rule out the possibility of defending his title.
The British Grand Prix weekend served as a clear indicator that McLaren must address specific weaknesses in their car to better compete with Ferrari and Mercedes. Both Norris and Piastri’s assessments underline the importance of improving grip and downforce to suit circuits like Silverstone, where high-speed stability is crucial.
Overall, McLaren’s drivers acknowledged that the team has a lot to work on following their home race. Their honest evaluations provide insight into the current state of the MCL40 and the competitive environment within the championship. The weekend’s results and feedback will likely shape McLaren’s approach as they continue to develop their car for the remainder of the season.
