'We're in a pickle': Norris

Formula One world champion Lando Norris painted a bleak picture of McLaren's British Grand Prix hopes, one year on from celebrating ​an emotional one-two home win at Silverstone.

The 26-year-old qualified sixth on Saturday, ‌ahead of Australian teammate Oscar Piastri in eighth, but a long way adrift of Mercedes pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

"It's pretty poor, really, in terms ​of gap to the cars ahead," Norris said after the gusty session.

"It ​was a good lap. I got, I think, everything out of ⁠it. So we're just slow.

"I thought we improved the car in some areas, ​but we need to understand like we're just slow in the straight, we're slow ​in every corner. It's just the car is not very efficient. We lack downforce and we have too much drag. So, yeah, we're in a pickle."

Norris was third in Saturday's earlier sprint ​race, improving from sixth on the grid, but he played down his chances ​of getting back on the podium in the longer format.

"There's a lot of straights here and ‌just ⁠high speed. We're not very good in high speed and we lose a lot in that. And slow speed, like it's just this shows who has a good car and who doesn't. And it's clear that we don't," said the driver.

"Obviously, ​what made my race ​this morning was ⁠a good start. I don't know how I finished P3 this morning when you're seven-tenths a lap off... So we ​have to wait and see. Just try to get a ​good start, ⁠get in the mix. I think realistically, a P5 should be best.

"We'll try and beat the Red Bulls. That's the main thing we can ask for. I think ⁠to beat ​the cars that are seven-tenths quicker, both the ​Ferrari and the Mercedes, it's just a bit stupid."

Red Bull had Isack Hadjar fifth on the grid ​and four-times world champion Max Verstappen seventh.