Verstappen drew first blood in Q3, the only driver among the 10 to set their first lap on fresh soft tyres having saved a set earlier on in qualifying, and logged a 1m27.084s.
This was over 0.6s clear of Lewis Hamilton's next-best time, a 1m27.717s, as the Briton beat a rapid Oscar Piastri after the opening array of laps.
But Verstappen's pole time seemed up for grabs and, although Charles Leclerc looked mighty in the opening sector of his tilt, he was unable to maintain enough momentum to leapfrog the Dutchman with his time.
Carlos Sainz was also unable to make the difference and folded in behind Leclerc, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton could not make any further inroads and settled in behind the Ferraris.
But Norris sent the British crowd into raptures having reeled across the line with a 1m26.961s, moving up into provisional pole, but his chance of a first pole at home was denied by Verstappen's final gambit.
Nonetheless, Norris booked a place on the front row with a much-improved McLaren, and his team-mate Oscar Piastri added to the team's joy with third on the grid after inching past Leclerc's lap.
Leclerc thus qualified fourth ahead of Sainz, while Russell outqualifying Hamilton to take sixth on Sunday's grid.
Alex Albon worked his way into Q3 as Williams showed greatly improved form during its 799th grand prix weekend, and collected eighth on the grid. Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly completed the top 10.
Although weather worries permeated the field during the opening part of Q2, the circuit remained dry for the second part of qualifying to ensure that the track kept improving throughout.
This set up a last-lap dash to the line to break into the top 10 and earn progression into the final part of qualifying, which became closely contested among the regular midfield runners.
Source: Autosport