"Lewis is gonna fight you hard but fair" - McLaren CEO heaps praise on Hamilton battling Lando Norris at 2023 F1 British GP

The 2023 F1 British GP witnessed Lewis Hamilton return to the podium in front of his home crowd at Silverstone.

After a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Austrian GP with Mercedes, the British racing legend's home race proved to be a source of joy for fans as Hamilton secured a commendable third-place finish, just behind race winner Max Verstappen and the runner-up Lando Norris.

Despite a challenging start to the race, where Lewis Hamilton veered off the road in the first lap and temporarily dropped to ninth position, the veteran driver showcased his resilience as he fought back to secure a spot in the top 3.

Throughout a significant portion of the race, Hamilton engaged in an exciting battle with McLaren's Norris, as they vied for the second spot on the podium.

The intensity of their duel had the entire McLaren team on the edge of their seats, especially after the deployment of the safety car. In those tense moments, McLaren CEO Zak Brown couldn't help but express his admiration for Hamilton's approach to racing.

Speaking about the enthralling battle between the two drivers, Brown praised Lewis Hamilton's competitive spirit in the post-race interview on the grid, stating:

"The nice thing is you know Lewis is gonna fight you hard, but he’s gonna fight you fair. At least you feel like you have a driver around you that’s gonna be sensible."

Lando Norris ultimately came out on top, successfully defending his second position on the grid as the 23-year-old salvaged his best-ever finish.

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Lewis Hamilton lost because Lando Norris had the better car, believes Toto Wolff

Lewis Hamilton's inability to overtake Lando Norris during the recent British Grand Prix has prompted Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff to assert that McLaren simply had the better car on the day.

Despite the upgrades made to the Mercedes cars, Wolff believes the superior performance of the McLaren, particularly in terms of straight-line speed, played a pivotal role in the outcome of the race.

Lewis Hamilton, who began the race from a disappointing seventh position on the grid, managed to climb up to third place after a safety car restart. Armed with the softer tire compound, he was poised to make a decisive move on Norris, who was running on the harder tires. However, the 38-year-old failed to overtake the McLaren driver, missing out on the runner-up spot.

The Mercedes team boss, speaking to Sky Sports post-race, expressed his thoughts on the matter, stating:

"Tyres went off. But they just had the better car, to honestly say, being able to hold us on the hard tire efficiently and straight-line speed."

As the Formula 1 season continues, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will undoubtedly analyze their performance and work towards further improvements.