Lando Norris claimed a memorable first British Grand Prix victory in front of a record-breaking home crowd at Silverstone, as McLaren mastered the chaos of a dramatic, rain-hit race.
Norris capitalised on a 10-second penalty handed to teammate Oscar Piastri—who was adjudged to have driven erratically during a late restart—to seal his second win of the 2025 Formula 1 season and first on home soil.
Piastri had led confidently through treacherous conditions, including a torrential downpour and two safety car interruptions, but served his penalty during a late pit stop, allowing Norris to seize the lead with nine laps to go.
An emotional Norris could be heard holding back tears on the team radio after taking the chequered flag.
“Apart from a world championship, this is as good as it gets. To win at home, in these conditions, with this crowd… it’s beautiful,” Norris said.
Historic Crowd and Wild Conditions Shape the Drama
A record crowd of 168,000 on race day—and over 500,000 across the weekend—witnessed one of the most chaotic British Grands Prix in recent memory.
The race featured unpredictable weather, two safety car periods, and several high-profile incidents, most notably Max Verstappen’s spin shortly after the second restart on Lap 22.
Verstappen, seemingly distracted by Piastri’s slowing car in front of him, lost control at Stowe and dropped to 10th before recovering to finish fifth. The Red Bull driver later criticised the visibility and confusion during the restart.
Stewards deemed Piastri to have violated regulations prohibiting “erratic braking” after the safety car lights go out—a rule designed to ensure safe restarts. It echoed a similar incident involving George Russell at the Canadian Grand Prix.
A frustrated Piastri said:
“Apparently, you can’t brake behind the safety car anymore. I’ve done it for five laps prior and no one complained. But I’ll leave it there—anything more and I’ll get into trouble.”
Hulkenberg’s Podium at Last
Perhaps the feel-good moment of the race—outside of Norris’ victory—was Nico Hulkenberg finishing third to claim his first-ever Formula 1 podium in his 239th race start, setting a new record for most races before a podium.
Starting 19th on the grid, the 37-year-old German executed a near-perfect strategy and delivered under pressure, holding off a late charge from Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari.
“Coming from almost last… it was surreal,” said Hulkenberg. “When we gapped Lewis, I thought, ‘Okay, maybe this is finally happening.’ This is my day.”
Race Recap: Key Moments
The race began on a damp but drying track, with Verstappen holding off Piastri at the start. Virtual Safety Car on Lap 4 after Gabriel Bortoleto crashed at Turn Two. On Lap 7, racing resumed and Piastri overtook Verstappen on the Hangar Straight.
Rain returned by Lap 11, and Verstappen lost second to Norris after sliding off at Becketts. Safety car was deployed on Lap 14 due to worsening conditions. On Lap 18, the race restarted, only for Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar to crash into Kimi Antonelli, prompting another safety car. Final restart on Lap 22 saw Piastri attempt to pull away, but he never built more than a four-second lead. Norris reeled him in after the penalty stop.
Torrential rain falls on Silverstone and the eventual race winner Lando Norris
Standings Shake-Up
With his win, Norris closes the gap to Piastri in the drivers’ championship to just eight points, while Verstappen’s fifth-place finish leaves him 69 points adrift and fading in the title fight.
Final Race Results – British Grand Prix (Top 10)
Lando Norris (McLaren) Oscar Piastri (McLaren) Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) Pierre Gasly (Alpine) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) Alex Albon (Williams) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) George Russell (Mercedes)
What’s Next?
Formula One now heads into a three-week summer break before returning at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix from July 25–27, which will also feature a Sprint Race format.
With half the season down and the title race tightening, Silverstone may have just set the tone for a thrilling second half of 2025.