Martin Brundle explains what Ferrari did that might have cost Lando Norris a British GP win

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McLaren driver Lando Norris was powerless to Max Verstappen passing him for a second time in the final few laps of the British Grand Prix.

The triple world champion got the better of Lando Norris off the line, finding a way past his McLaren after the first few corners.

However, McLaren had a faster car than Red Bull and for the majority of the race Norris was leading after overtaking both Mercedes drivers during the rainy patch in the middle of the Grand Prix.

Martin Brundle was commentating on the race at Silverstone for Sky Sports F1 and spotted the key moment that cost the 24-year-old victory.

Norris was incredibly self-critical after the Grand Prix and pinpointed two calls that he and the team made that were far from optimal.

McLaren had already made a mistake with Oscar Piastri’s strategy, leaving him out for one lap too long rather than double-stacking their drivers and an extra lap running slick tyres in the wet was enough to cost the Australian a chance of finishing on the podium.

And while McLaren didn’t get the call right on Norris’s final pit stop, Brundle also noticed how Ferrari may have had an impact on his race.

Lewis Hamilton may be saying a quick thank you to his future team if he watches a replay of Norris’s last stop back as he may have been slightly impacted by the Italian team’s mechanics.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from height and parents to celebration

Martin Brundle explains Ferrari role in Lando Norris’s losing the British Grand Prix

Watching Norris’s final pit stop, Brundle said: “The Ferrari were just coming out into the pit lane as [Lando] Norris rocked up!

“[They were] doing their job but I think that might have contributed to him ending up going very long.”

Lead commentator David Croft added: “Two seconds slower in the pit box, Lando Norris has allowed Lewis Hamilton to take the lead once again of this British Grand Prix.”

Brundle then watched a replay and said: “He skidded, he skidded on the concrete as well.

“He had to sort of duck around the Ferrari mechanics as well and that might have cost him the British Grand Prix.”

After the race, Karun Chandhok was analysing how Norris’s race played out and said: “Another race Lando [Norris] could have won!

“Sliding into the pit box at his final stop cost 2 seconds and track position to Lewis [Hamilton].

“McLaren put new Mediums onto [Oscar] Piastri and went with softs for Norris for the last stint – in those 14 laps Oscar gained 10 seconds on Lando!

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Lando Norris left frustrated after failing to win the British Grand Prix

It shows how far McLaren have come in the last 12 months that Norris and Piastri finishing 3^rd and 4^th is a disappointing result.

Although they secured a double podium finish at Silverstone last year, they were never in contention to win that Grand Prix.

However, the grid has converged at the front of the pack to such an extent that any small mistake will now cost you victory.

McLaren’s recent updates have all worked brilliantly – something the likes of Ferrari, Aston Martin and RB can’t say – and it’s hard to see them slowing down in that department.

It would be a huge shock if Norris didn’t win again this season and Piastri didn’t earn his first Grand Prix victory.

They need to start cutting out these small errors and hope Ferrari don’t unconsciously make life more difficult for them even when they’re not involved in the battle for the win.