Lando Norris won a chaotic and thrilling British Grand Prix, taking to the top step of the podium at his home race for the first time.

The door opened for Norris after a 10-second penalty for McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri – following a controversial Safety Car infringement featuring Max Verstappen – while 239 grands prix later, Nico Hulkenberg finally scored his first podium in a huge result for Sauber.

British Grand Prix: Norris wins thriller, Hulkenberg first podium

A dry track was looking possible for the start after earlier rain, that was until a fresh deluge arrived, meaning intermediates was the way for lights out.

Franco Colapinto was to start from the pit lane after taking a new power unit for his Alpine.

The sun was shining once more, but the decision was taken to hold the formation lap behind the Safety Car, even with the track rapidly drying to the point that slick tyres would soon be called upon.

Russell and Leclerc were among those in at the end of the formation lap for hard and medium tyres respectively, meaning a reduced grid for a standing start.

Piastri got the better launch, but Verstappen found grip on the outside line to lead out of Abbey. Liam Lawson’s race was already done after a hit from Haas’ Esteban Ocon coming out of the loop, triggering the Virtual Safety Car which brought an end to the early battle between Norris and Hamilton over P3.

Colapinto was also finished for the day, as he returned to the pit lane and retired his Alpine.

Ocon – still running despite the Lawson collision – was advocating for slicks, but with Russell and Leclerc having been haemorrhaging time before the VSC, while Kimi Antonelli went straight into the run-off after he pitted for slicks, it was quite the gamble at this stage.

The VSC ended on Lap 4, as Ferrari told Hamilton that more rain was expected in 10 laps.

Gabriel Bortoleto further demonstrated how tricky it was on dry tyres as he found the wall through Farm. He was able to escape the gravel, but with a wrecked rear wing, he was out, parking up on the inside of Copse as the VSC returned, just after Russell and Antonelli swapped positions, moving Russell up a spot to P13.

The slick runners were 20 seconds back from the pack, with that rain – lighter followed by heavier precipitation – closing in.

Lap 7 and we were back to green, Piastri immediately putting the pressure on Verstappen, that skinny rear wing on his Red Bull not ideal for these conditions. As Race Control enabled DRS, Verstappen’s task grew further in difficulty.

A defensive masterclass from Verstappen, but Lap 8 into Stowe and Piastri was through down the inside, as Russell reported that it was raining.

Antonelli and Leclerc were locked in battle over P14 in the dry-tyre pack, Leclerc re-claiming the spot through Stowe as Antonelli returned to the pit lane for inters.

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The rain indeed returned, and with a vengeance, Verstappen calling to pit with his inters shot. He demonstrated that by going wide at Chapel, allowing Norris through, that leading trio of Piastri, Norris and Verstappen all boxing for fresh inters.

A slow stop for Norris – seeing him stationary for three seconds longer than Verstappen – allowed the Red Bull driver back through.

P2 was Alex Albon’s reward for staying out, but as Verstappen and Norris quickly came by on fresher inters, he was called in to pit for a new set.

The rain continued to get heavier and heavier, Hamilton reporting this was full wets, as Norris vanished in Verstappen’s spray, the McLaren clearly the faster package in these treacherous conditions. Leclerc was off through Maggotts and Becketts, a helmet full of water meaning he could not see a thing.

Treacherous soon become too wet, as Race Control deployed the Safety Car. Piastri, Verstappen, Norris, Lance Stroll and Nico Hulkenberg was the top five, the rain soon easing up.

The Safety Car came in at the end of Lap 17, resuming the race against Russell’s call to red flag, Piastri nailing the restart to lead from Verstappen and Norris.

Russell passed Hamilton – down the Hamilton straight – only for Russell to get tucked up behind Ocon as Hamilton came past the pair of them.

One lap later and the Safety Car had returned. Hadjar was in the wall in a heavy shunt at Copse, having sent his Racing Bulls car slamming into the back of Antonelli’s Mercedes in the spray.

Piastri was reporting that a “puddle in Turn 2” was proving a problem even for Bernd Mayländer in the Safety Car, as Antonelli – now missing his diffuser – pitted for new inters.

SC in at the end of Lap 21, as Verstappen briefly overtook Piastri at the end of the Hangar Straight. It got worse for the Red Bull driver who spun out of Stowe and dropped to P10, as Race Control began an investigation into Piastri for braking erratically.

Verstappen went wide again allowing Albon through onto the Wellington Straight, but Verstappen found the grip to stick with the Williams and re-pass. Bearman meanwhile was off onto the grass after contact with Yuki Tsunoda at Brooklands and Antonelli retired his diffuser-less Mercedes, as a chaotic British Grand Prix continued.

As per the radar, that was it for rain, as Piastri set about building a gap, quickly up to 3.5 seconds over Norris, while Hamilton slid wide at Copse, waving Russell through into sixth.

3.5 seconds was not going to be enough for Piastri, as the stewards confirmed a 10-second penalty for his Safety Car infringement, a major boost for Norris and his home race win ambitions.

The likes of Stroll and Hulkenberg were also rubbing there hands with the thought of a podium. Was Hulkeberg’s 239th grand prix start about to yield a first podium? He was right on Stroll’s tail.

Verstappen felt “so slow” stuck in tenth, while in a further blow for Red Bull, Tsunoda was given a 10-second penalty for spinning Bearman at Brooklands. Better news for Pierre Gasly, who took P5 from Hamilton at Copse.

Hamilton wrestled that position back on the next lap at the Vale chicane, freeing him to set off after Hulkenberg and Stroll, Silverstone serving up a thriller.

Norris chipped away at Piastri’s lead, bringing it down to two seconds as DRS returned to action. Hulkenberg pulled the trigger to pass Stroll through Stowe, moving him up onto the podium! He needed Stroll to pull off some heroic defence, but as Hamilton came through at Village, Hulkenberg had an almighty task on his hands.

Verstappen used the DRS to strip Sainz of P9 into Stowe, while Russell got a “brave not suicidal” response after asking “how brave” Mercedes wanted to be in P7, a strong hint of dry tyre considerations.

“I think we go for it,” was Russell’s stance and Mercedes obliged, as he made his third stop on Lap 39 of 52, bolting on hard tyres.

Hamilton had no room for sentiment at his home race as he continued to hound Hulkenberg, but the German continued to hold off his fellow F1 veteran, as Russell’s gamble soon backfired as he spun off through Maggotts and Becketts, keeping drive through the gravel to re-join down the Hangar Straight.

“It’s much wetter than before,” Russell reported, despite no fresh rain having falling, while Sainz called former team-mate Leclerc “reckless” as the Ferrari came through at the Loop. A quick stewards’ enquiry resulted in no further action.

Russell’s risky gamble meanwhile was a boost for Verstappen, who gained another spot by clearing Gasly, promoting him to P6. But, enough had been seen of Russell to decide that now was the time for slicks, Hamilton, Stroll and Verstappen among the pack to box.

Hamilton slid straight off at Abbey and was quickly picked off by Leclerc, but Hulkenberg too took the gamble one lap later. It was a poor 4.6-second stop for mediums, but he held track position over Hamilton, a costly error for the record nine-time British Grand Prix winner.

Lap 44 and Piastri was in to serve his 10 seconds and take on mediums, while Haas duo Bearman and Ocon collided, spinning in unison out of Brooklands.

Norris came in on Lap 45 for mediums, the Brit leading his home race for the first time and heading for victory, at least it seemed that way. Behind, Piastri was off through Maggotts and Becketts, avoiding a spin, but called for McLaren to swap he and Norris out of fairness as he argued against the penalty.

McLaren were not having any of that.

Leclerc’s eventful afternoon continued with a trip through the gravel, while Hulkenberg was revelling in the serenity of P3, marching towards that maiden podium.

Norris raced on to his first home win, Piastri second, and yes, in third, Hulkenberg had finally done it! His first Formula 1 podium!

Full 2025 British Grand Prix timesheet

1 Lando Norris McLaren
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +6.812
3 Nico Hulkenberg Kick Sauber +34.742
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +39.812
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +56.781
6 Pierre Gasly Alpine +59.857
7 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +60.603
8 Alexander Albon Williams +64.135
9 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +65.858
10 George Russell Mercedes +70.674
11 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +72.095
12 Carlos Sainz Williams +76.592
13 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +77.301
14 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +84.477
15 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull Racing +1L
DNF Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
DNF Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls
DNF Gabriel Bortoleto Kick Sauber
DNF Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
DNF Franco Colapinto Alpine

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