Norris cheekily brands McLaren team BEGINNERS over British GP tyre choice

Lando Norris was in a cheeky but ecstatic mood after his first British GP podium, branding his McLaren team 'beginners'.

The 23-year-old sent Silverstone wild at the start by overtaking Max Verstappen for the lead, but the championship leader soon flew by and went on to win despite pressure from Norris.

Norris was then put on hard tyres rather than the softs of Lewis Hamilton after a mid-race safety car, a decision he was not convinced with.

Norris got his elbows well and truly out and kept the seven-time champion at bay to claim his best-ever Silverstone result in F1.

READ MORE: Norris and Hamilton DELIGHT record British Grand Prix crowd as Verstappen wins again

An amazing fight with Hamilton

“Pretty insane. I just want to say a big thanks first of all to the whole team," Norris said to David Coulthard immediately after the race.

"They’ve done an amazing job and none of this would be possible without the hard work that they’ve been putting in. So, pretty amazing, pretty insane to put up with the fight.

"They put me hard tyres, I don’t know why, they’re still beginners at some things. It was an amazing fight with Lewis to hold him off, I made a few too many mistakes maybe.

"I did what I could, I brought the fight to Max for as long as possible. It’s a long, lonely race when you’re just in the middle. It’s amazing, so yeah.

READ MORE: F1 British Grand Prix 2023 results – Norris and Hamilton STAR as Verstappen takes win

Norris: They wanted to test me

“They just wanted to give me a bit more of a test, I guess. It’s what Zak said anyway. Probably Zak called the shots on that one. I wanted the softs. I feel like it made a bit more sense, especially with the safety car coming out. I don’t care, I'm P2 so all good.

"The whole in lap I was just trying to wave to everyone. A big thanks to all the British fans out here supporting all of us. Also, for McLaren.

"Honestly, we should’ve had a P2 and P3, Oscar did an amazing job all weekend and he should’ve been P3 today without the safety car. A shame, he deserved it, but the fans are amazing, so a big thanks to all of them.”

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