Lando Norris warned Oscar Piastri will use Silverstone setback to fuel title bid

Lando Norris has been warned rival Oscar Piastri will use his “harsh” penalty at the British Grand Prix as fuel to fire his world championship bid.

Norris is just eight points behind Piastri at the midway stage of the season following the British driver’s maiden win on home turf at a rain-lashed Silverstone.

Norris delivered a composed performance before taking advantage of Piastri’s 10-second sanction for his “erratic braking” behind the safety car.

Piastri felt hard done by with the stewards’ verdict, but McLaren team principal Andrea Stella expects the Australian to bounce back from the punishment.

“I have to say that the penalty was very harsh,” said Stella after he oversaw McLaren’s first victory at their home race in 17 years.

“There are a few things to review, but in itself, now the penalty has been decided and has been served, we move on.

“We will see if there’s anything to learn on our side and I’m sure Oscar will use this motivation for being even more determined for the races to come and try and win as many races as possible.”

Norris’ title hopes appeared in tatters after he crashed into Piastri in Canada. But just three weeks on, the championship momentum is firmly with the 25-year-old after he followed up his win in Austria with another victory on Sunday – the first time in his career he has sealed back-to-back wins.

Norris now has four victories to Piastri’s five this season, with four-time world champion Max Verstappen third in the standings but now 69 points off the championship pace.

Norris’ celebrations in front of a record 168,000 spectators at Silverstone were briefly halted when a photographer fell on him and he received a small cut to the nose.

However, Norris was able to take to the Silverstone fan stage to lap up the adulation of the British crowd alongside Piastri and McLaren chief executive Zak Brown late on Sunday night.

“It’s two wins in a row, but they’ve not come easy by any means,” said Norris. “We’ve had good fights, but they’re pretty strenuous, exhausting weekends because you’re fighting for hundredths and thousandths of a second and you’re fighting for perfection in every session.

“I’m also going up against some pretty good drivers. So, it takes a lot out of you, especially when you have a race like Sunday.”

Norris will return to action for the Belgian Grand Prix on July 27 ahead of the concluding race before the sport’s summer break in Hungary a week later.