Lando Norris led McLaren 1-2 to claim 2025 F1 British GP win as Nico Hulkenberg made headlines with a historic maiden podium finish in a race defined by unpredictable weather and dramatic incidents.
From the outset, the atmosphere at Silverstone was heightened by a rain shower that swept across the circuit just before the formation lap, leaving the track damp and the teams scrambling to adapt their strategies.
The majority of the grid opted for intermediate tyres with a handful of drivers including George Russell and Charles Leclerc gambling on slicks by pitting at the end of the formation lap.
As the lights went out, pole sitter Max Verstappen managed to fend off a strong launch from Oscar Piastri who started his race from the front row beside him.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris who started from third was immediately locked in a close battle with Lewis Hamilton who was making his first British GP appearance for Ferrari.
However, chaos struck further back after Esteban Ocon collided with Liam Lawson, sending the Racing Bulls driver into a spin and out of the race, triggering an early Virtual Safety Car. Amid the chaos, Franco Colapinto’s A525 got stuck in second gear forcing him out of the race.
As the race resumed on lap 4, the track began to dry tempting several drivers to switch to slick tyres. However, a lap later Gabriel Bortoleto who had taken a risk on slicks lost control and spun into the gravel, prompting another VSC to allow his car to be safely cleared.
The race resumed on lap 7 with Piastri immediately getting past Verstappen who struggled to get his tyres up to heat. Piastri’s pace in the wet was formidable and he began to build a commanding lead.
However, the unpredictable British weather had other plans as a fresh downpour prompted the deployment of the Safety Car which bunched up the field once again.
This forced teams to react quickly with McLaren executing a double-stack pit stop to fit intermediate tyres on both cars. Piastri suffered a setback during the pit sequence due to a slower stop, allowing Verstappen to briefly regain track position.
However, Isack Hadjar’s heavy crash in the treacherous conditions led to another Safety Car period, during which Mercedes’ rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli became collateral damage and was forced to retire as well.
On race restart, Verstappen who had looked strong in the early stages spun at Stowe and dropped down to 10th place, compromising his chances of victory.
Piastri who had been in command was handed a 10-second penalty for a Safety Car infringement just before Verstappen’s spin, dramatically altering the complexion of the race. The penalty combined with the timing of pit stops allowed Norris to inherit the lead as the race entered its final stages.
Norris’s performance in the closing laps was nothing short of exemplary. Under immense pressure and with the hopes of a nation resting on his shoulders, the 25-year old proceeded to take the checkered flag as the 2025 F1 British GP winner.
Oscar Piastri managed to serve his penalty during his second stop, switch to medium tyres, and rejoin in second place, securing the fifth McLaren 1-2 finish of the season.
The story of the day, however, belonged to Nico Hülkenberg. Starting a lowly 19th on the grid the Sauber driver executed a flawless race, making a perfectly timed switch to fresh intermediates as the rain returned.
2025 F1 British Grand Prix Race Results
This strategic masterstroke combined with his ability to avoid the chaos unfolding around him enabled Hülkenberg to climb steadily through the field. As the race reached its climax, he found himself in third place, with Lewis Hamilton in hot pursuit.
Hülkenberg’s defence against the seven-time world champion was a display of nerves of steel and racecraft honed over years of perseverance.
Despite relentless pressure from Hamilton, cheered on by the home crowd, Hülkenberg did not put a foot wrong. He held his line, managed his tyres, and crossed the finish line to claim his first-ever Formula 1 podium after 239 starts—the longest wait in the sport’s history for a maiden podium.
Hamilton finished fourth ahead of Verstappen while Pierre Gasly delivered a strong performance for Alpine in sixth. Lance Stroll brought his Aston Martin home in seventh after a consistent and trouble-free race.
Alexander Albon scored valuable points for Williams in eighth, followed by Fernando Alonso in ninth for Aston Martin. George Russell, after an early gamble on slick tyres that did not pay off, recovered to finish tenth, securing the final point for Mercedes on what was a challenging day for the team.
Further down the order, Oliver Bearman finished 11th for Haas, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Williams and Esteban Ocon in the sister Haas.
Charles Leclerc endured a difficult race for Ferrari to finish 14th while Yuki Tsunoda was classified 15th for Red Bull, a lap down on the leaders.
