Norris finished Q3 just 0.241 seconds off Max Verstappen’s pole time, with team-mate Oscar Piastri an additional tenth behind him.
He had clinched provisional pole within the closing levels earlier than he was demoted by the reigning world champion’s greatest time, a 1m26.720s.
It marks the Woking-based crew’s greatest qualifying of the 12 months, with Norris’ earlier greatest a third-place begin in Barcelona.
Norris joked that Verstappen had “ruined every part” after he was pipped by the Dutchman’s remaining try, however mentioned he was wanting ahead to Sunday’s race.
McLaren’s final British GP win got here in 2008, courtesy of Lewis Hamilton.
Requested simply how shut he was to pole, Norris mentioned: “I used to be shut. I used to be P1 in Q1. I believe it was P1 in Q2. And shut, two tenths to P1 in Q3, so fairly insane.
“And my final lap was a great lap. I may hear Zak on the radio on the in lap, that was the perfect factor ever.
“Nice for myself but in addition for each of us to be second and third was fairly superb for the entire crew.”
He added: “It is all the time Max, he all the time ruins every part for everybody. I’m very pleased. I’ve bought a giant because of the gang right here, it has been a really big day for us. I sit up for tomorrow.”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL60
Picture by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images
Piastri mentioned the MCL60 was “a rocket ship” in Q2 and Q3 and Saturday marked a “huge end result” for the crew, securing him his greatest ever F1 qualifying end result.
Talking after qualifying, Piastri mentioned: “What a qualifying session. We have been virtually out in Q1, after which yeah, automotive was a rocket ship in Q2 and Q3. Appears like I put a fairly good lap collectively.
“So yeah, huge end result for the crew as properly. To be persistently have each of us up here’s a mega end result. Now we have simply bought to attempt to keep there for tomorrow.”
Piastri mentioned the crew had “a little bit of a tough day” on Friday, with Norris eighth and Piastri tenth in FP1 earlier than Piastri completed ninth and Norris 14th in FP2.
The Australian added: “I believe we have been a bit faster than what we appeared, simply struggling to get the automotive in the proper window and I believe we did a greater job of that right this moment.
“I believe these circumstances as properly. We do rather well in them on a regular basis. Barcelona was an analogous story Monaco, Canada as properly.
“So we have had a good few moments like that. However yeah, to drag that off in Q3 like that was a mega end result and clearly each of us have now bought the brand new bits on our automotive and so they’re working very properly.
“So yeah, I am unable to thank the crew sufficient for persevering with to push from the place we have been firstly of the season to the place we at the moment are. It is a huge step in the proper route.”
Verstappen took his sixth pole of the season on Saturday in a “loopy qualifying” and mentioned he was “fairly stunned” to see the McLaren pair behind him.
He mentioned: “It has been fairly hectic and in addition fairly slippery in some locations. However yeah, we did our laps, after which Q3.
“I used to be fairly stunned to see them two there, but it surely’s nice for McLaren as properly to be right here. And from our facet very pleased to be on pole.”