A dramatic and rain-affected British Grand Prix at Silverstone saw McLaren’s Lando Norris claim victory, with teammate Oscar Piastri securing a second-place finish. Nico Hülkenberg, driving for Sauber, delivered a sensational performance to complete the podium, marking a career-first for the German driver.
Hülkenberg’s achievement is particularly notable, as he previously held the record for the highest number of Formula 1 starts without a podium finish. Despite starting the race from the penultimate position, he strategically benefited from the evolving conditions.
Initially, the race began with all drivers using intermediate tires due to the wet track. However, several drivers in the back of the field quickly opted to switch to slick tires during the reconnaissance lap. Early on, Piastri quickly overtook defending champion Max Verstappen, who started from pole position.
The race was punctuated by periods of heavy rain, necessitating the deployment of the safety car. A crash involving Isack Hadjar shortly after the race restart led to another safety car phase, keeping the field closely packed. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Hülkenberg emerged as key beneficiaries of these developments, rising to fourth and fifth place respectively.
The second restart saw a significant reshuffle at the front of the pack. Piastri executed a strategic maneuver just before the race was released, accelerating dramatically. Verstappen, trailing behind, lost traction and dropped ten places. Piastri received a subsequent ten-second time penalty for the action. In the ensuing battle for position, Hülkenberg overtook Lewis Hamilton to secure third place.
Further down the order, Verstappen finished sixth, followed by Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Stroll and Alex Albon (Williams). Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) secured two championship points in ninth place, while George Russell (Mercedes) claimed one point in tenth.
The next race is scheduled to take place in three weeks at the Belgian Grand Prix.
