Norris revels in emotional first home win
The McLaren driver's fourth win of the season left him eight points behind Australian teammate and F1 leader Oscar Piastri but Sunday at Silverstone was less about the numbers and more about the emotions.
No tears were shed, he claimed, even when he stepped out of the car and embraced his mother.
"Apart from a championship, I think this is as good as it gets in terms of feelings, in terms of achievement, being proud — all of it," he told 2009 champion and compatriot Jenson Button.
"You know, this is where it all started for me... watching you on TV many years ago. And now, thankfully, I've been able to have my go.
"The last few laps, I was just looking into the crowd. I was just trying to take it all in, enjoy the moment because it might never happen again. I hope it does but these are memories that I'll bring with me forever."
Norris, whose fans had their own 'Landostand' at Silverstone, said after winning in Monaco that it was a boyhood dream come true but Silverstone was another level.
The roll-call of British greats is long and Norris added his name to a list that has Lewis Hamilton's inscribed a record nine times.
"When I get emotional, I don't cry, I just smile. It's pure happiness," he said of his feelings on taking the chequered flag and the wobble in his voice that had suggested tears might be flowing.
"It's pure enjoyment of the moment that you're in," he told reporters. "I wish I could cry because I think it looks better for pictures sometimes. But no, I just smile instead.
"I've joined a long list of pretty incredible winners who have won here in the past. Most of them are Lewis. But to join him and, from a British side, to continue the reign of the British here is pretty amazing.
"The last two laps, looking up at the fans and seeing them on their feet and cheering — these are moments that no one really gets, none of you guys get to witness. This is something that I and very few others, especially Brits, get to witness.
"It's a very selfish moment but it's one of the most special, the most incredible.
"I'm not going say it's my best win, that's not true. But in terms of what it means to win here at home the want, the desire to do it in front of my own grandstand, my family, my friends, McLaren... makes it all even more special." — REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
19 minutes ago
- The Star
Sailing-Britain's Goodchild makes waves with breakthrough IMOCA victory
(Reuters) -British skipper Sam Goodchild is celebrating his first win in the ultra-competitive IMOCA class after guiding MACIF Sante Prevoyance to victory in the Course des Caps – a full-blooded 1,800-nautical mile dash around Britain and Ireland. Goodchild took the lead near Fastnet Rock off the southwest tip of Ireland and never let go, completing the race in six days, one hour and 10 minutes, with French co-skippers Lois Berrehar, Guillaume Combescure and Charlotte Yven for company. MACIF Sante Prevoyance crossed the line two-and-a-half hours clear of second-placed Elodie Bonafous on Association Petits Princes-Queguiner. 'It was intense, non-stop,' Goodchild said at the finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer. 'We started with no wind and finished with too much. It was kind of what we anticipated – a proper ride." France's Bonafous, racing her first IMOCA event, finished 46 minutes ahead of third-placed compatriot Nico Lunven on Holcim-PRB, staking her claim as a serious contender in the class. 'During the race, I got it into my head that a podium finish was possible,' Bonafous said. 'Even mid-race, I felt like crying. I told myself 'this is so cool, we're having such a great race.' So I stayed really calm because the race was still long and anything could happen,' she told the IMOCA class website. The route served up the full British Isles menu: shifty winds, sail changes on repeat, and a drag race down the North Sea. 'We really had it all,' said Goodchild, who was standing in for Charlie Dalin as the Frenchman is taking a break from the sport due to ill-health. 'On the first day, we hoisted every sail we had. And even over the past three days, we haven't stopped changing sails, changing conditions – changing everything. We truly got a full range on this race." For Goodchild, a former IMOCA Globe Series champion who finished ninth in the last Vendee Globe, this win adds another line to a growing CV – and confirms he is now one of the men to beat on the IMOCA scene. The IMOCA class is a fleet of high-performance 60-foot monohull yachts built for solo and short-handed ocean racing, best known for marquee events like the Vendee Globe. The Course des Caps marked the launch of the 2025 IMOCA Globe Series. Next up is the 100th anniversary of the Rolex Fastnet Race later this month, the Ocean Race Europe (August 10 to September 21), Defi Azimut–Lorient Agglomeration in September, and the Transat Cafe L'Or double-handed race from Le Havre in France to Martinique beginning in October. (Reporting by Ossian Shine; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Cycling-Riders crash into crowd at German Track Championships
(Reuters) -Two spectators were flown to hospital by rescue helicopter at the German Track Cycling Championships on Sunday after two riders went over the barriers at high speed and crashed into the crowd, German media reported. The incident, which occurred during the elite keirin semi-finals, left eight more spectators injured and saw the remainder of the final day of competition called off, Germany's SWR broadcaster reported. "The health of athletes and spectators always comes first," German Cycling Federation (BDR) marketing and communications officer Oliver Streich said in a statement. "There was therefore no alternative to cancelling the event." Reuters has contacted the BDR for comment. (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
US coach Pochettino takes positives from Gold Cup despite defeat in final
HOUSTON: The United States came up short in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final on Sunday with a 2-1 loss to Mexico but will take valuable lessons from the tournament as they build towards next year's World Cup, coach Mauricio Pochettino said. The U.S. went ahead early in the game in Houston, Texas through Chris Richards's header but Mexico fought back through Raul Jimenez and Edson Alvarez to claim a 10th Gold Cup title. Pochettino told reporters that while it had been a painful night for his side the tournament had been excellent preparation for the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada. "It was a massive lesson for us. It was an amazing tournament to realize in the way that we wanted to grow," he added. "This is the way that I think we are going to find the way to compete better and better, and be very competitive and be in the place that we wanted to be. "When you lose a trophy or you lose a game it's really, really painful. But the most important thing is to have our head up because I think the tournament was fantastic and we keep going, that is the way we want to build our journey into the World Cup." The U.S. reached the final despite missing several key players, with Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah controversially opting out while Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna and Tim Weah were unable to play due to Club World Cup obligations. However, Pochettino did not want to discuss the impact the absences had. "I think the roster that we build is the roster that deserved to be here, and I think now is not the point to talk about the player that should be here or not," he said. The U.S. will next host South Korea and Japan in friendly matches in September. --REUTERS
