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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Were Shocked About Silverstone Not Being a Fan Favorite Track

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Were Shocked About Silverstone Not Being a Fan Favorite Track

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri participated in a fun activity recently and got to know that fans don’t rate the Silverstone circuit as highly as they do. The McLaren drivers learned that the British GP circuit was ranked lower than Zandvoort and the Marina Bay Circuit.

In a promotional video for Salesforce titled ‘What takes pole?’, Norris and Piastri had to correctly guess the ranks of five circuits, based on how popular they were among fans. Other than Silverstone, Zandvoort (Netherlands), and Marina Bay Circuit (Singapore), the two other tracks on the list were Interlagos (Brazil) and Las Vegas.

Both Norris and Piastri were sure that Silverstone would rank number one. The latter said, “Silverstone is going to take pole. It’s my favorite of those five.” 

Norris agreed, and they spent the rest of the time ranking the other circuits. When the results were revealed, Norris was shocked. Looking at the list, he said, “I think it’s upside down.” 

The final rankings placed Singapore at the top, followed by Las Vegas, Zandvoort, Brazil, and finally Silverstone.

“I don’t know what their criteria is for their favorite track. But it’s not the same as mine,” Piastri added.

The choices made by the fans who voted for these tracks could be reflective of a changing mindset in the community. Since Liberty Media took over, the sport has focused a lot on entertainment. Singapore and Vegas are two races, that exhibit glamor on a very large scale, which newer fans seem to prefer over historic circuits.

Classic F1 circuits under threat

In recent years, the entertainment aspect of F1 has often taken priority over the sporting side. While good racing action remains a key focus, many of the tracks added to the calendar lately do not deliver on that promise.

The introduction of street circuits, in particular, has contributed to the decline in the popularity of traditional race tracks that offered drivers better racing opportunities.

At times, even classic venues are tipped to be sacrificed to cater to entertainment demands. Historic circuits like Spa-Francorchamps have faced nervy moments in recent years, as they were under threat of being replaced by newer races.

Recently, there have also been reports of races at Spa and Zandvoort taking place every alternate year to accommodate newer venues like Rwanda in Africa. The main reason is money. Although these Grand Prix events are iconic, they do not generate as much revenue as races like the Las Vegas GP or Singapore GP.

Post Edited By:Aishwary Gaonkar

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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