British Grand Prix 2025: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri Lead The Way For McLaren; Hulkenberg Claims First-Ever F1 Podium

Lando Norris secured his first British Grand Prix victory at Silverstone, delivering a masterful performance in challenging wet-dry conditions to claim his eighth career Formula 1 win. The McLaren driver crossed the finish line 6.812 seconds ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, whilst Nico Hulkenberg achieved a remarkable breakthrough by claiming his maiden F1 podium finish after 239 Grand Prix starts.

Piastri finished second despite serving a 10-second penalty for a Safety Car infringement, with the remarkable Hulkenberg completing the podium in third place after climbing from 19th on the grid. Lewis Hamilton took fourth place in his first Silverstone appearance as a Ferrari driver, followed by Max Verstappen in fifth after recovering from an early spinout. Pierre Gasly claimed sixth for Alpine, ahead of Lance Stroll in seventh, Alex Albon eighth, Fernando Alonso ninth, and George Russell completing the points positions in tenth.

The race began in dry conditions with pole-sitter Verstappen leading the field away. However, as the rain began falling heavily, Piastri quickly capitalised on the changing conditions to overtake the Red Bull driver and establish an early lead. The Australian built a substantial advantage before the first Safety Car neutralised the field.

The race featured multiple Safety Car periods, with significant incidents including Isack Hadjar's heavy crash after colliding with Kimi Antonelli, and various retirements throughout the field. Five drivers failed to finish, including Franco Colapinto, who stalled in the pit lane, and Liam Lawson, who was involved in a first-lap collision.

The drama intensified during the second Safety Car restart when Piastri received a 10-second penalty for slowing excessively behind the Safety Car just before the restart. That irked Verstappen into slamming on the brakes aggressively which pushed him down the grid significantly, and when the race restarted he tried to accelerate but due to a wet track, he spun out dropping to P11. 

As the track began drying, teams switched to slick tyres in the closing stages. Piastri served his penalty during his pit stop, handing the lead to Norris who maintained his position through to the chequered flag. The British driver's emotional victory delighted the home crowd, whilst Hulkenberg's fairytale podium capped off an extraordinary afternoon at Silverstone.

The result moved Norris to within eight points of Piastri in the championship standings, with Verstappen remaining in third place but further behind after his difficult afternoon.

After a dramatic first half of the season, Formula 1 enters a short summer break before the paddock regroups at Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix on July 25. The Drivers’ Championship battle has taken an exciting turn, with Lando Norris eyeing the top spot and Max Verstappen eager to bounce back and reignite his title charge. Meanwhile, Ferrari appears to be slipping out of contention, struggling to match the pace of the front-runners. In the background, all eyes are on Mercedes-AMG, as rumours of a potential Verstappen switch in 2026 continue to gain traction. Expect clarity on that front in the coming weeks.