Lando Norris wins the British GP after teammate Oscar Piastri was handed a 10-second time penalty for a safety car infringement. Nico Hülkenberg finished third, claiming his first F1 career podium after 239 race starts.
Norris Wins His First British GP, Hülkenberg Earns His First F1 Podium, and Bearman Is the Last Rookie Standing
Five Britons headed to Silverstone with the hopes of a podium finish, and one achieved their hopes. Lando Norris wins the British GP, with Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth, ending his 14-year home podium record. Alex Albon finished P8, while George Russell took the final points finish in tenth. Ollie Bearman was the last rookie standing, crossing the finish line in 11th.
FP1: Hamilton Leads Norris and Piastri
Lewis Hamilton set the tone at his home Grand Prix by topping the timesheets in FP1 at Silverstone. He edged out fellow Briton Lando Norris by just 0.023s, with Oscar Piastri rounding out the top three for McLaren.
Arvid Lindblad made his F1 debut, replacing Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull. Alpine reserve Paul Aron took over Nico Hülkenberg’s Sauber, thanks to an agreement between the rival teams.
Esteban Ocon led the field out on medium tyres, while Aston Martin and Williams opted to begin on the hard compound.
In the early running, several home favourites took turns at the top. Hamilton, Norris, and George Russell all traded fastest laps, though the order began to shift as more drivers switched to soft tyres.
The session was not without drama. Pierre Gasly spun through 360 degrees at Copse, while Gabriel Bortoleto looped his Sauber at the same corner, bringing out yellow flags. Elsewhere, Carlos Sainz experienced a delayed start as Williams inspected the floor of his car, though he later rejoined.
As final runs occurred, Hamilton delivered a 1:26.892 to reclaim the top spot from Norris. Leclerc and Russell completed the top five, while Max Verstappen ended up tenth amid ongoing speculation about his future.
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FP2: Another Briton Takes the Lead
Norris delighted the home crowd at the 2025 British GP by setting the fastest time in FP2. The McLaren driver delivered a 1:25.816 to lead Leclerc and Hamilton, heightening his strong form after victory in Austria last weekend.
The session unfolded in unpredictable conditions, with strong winds challenging drivers through Silverstone’s high-speed corners. Hamilton continued his FP1 pace into the early running, setting a 1:27.280 on medium tyres.
At the halfway stage, Russell and Kimi Antonelli took turns at the top after switching to soft tyres. As more drivers began Qualifying simulations, times changed further. Leclerc temporarily led before Norris set his decisive lap. He was the only driver to dip below 1:26s.
Hamilton improved to third, while Verstappen recovered to fifth on his final run. Piastri finished fourth. The top 10 was rounded out by Antonelli, Lance Stroll, Russell, Hadjar, and Lawson.
FP3: Leclerc Leads Piastri and Verstappen
Leclerc set the pace in the final practice session ahead of the 2025 British GP, leading Piastri and Verstappen. The Ferrari driver set a benchmark of 1:25.498 as the field went about last-minute adjustments before qualifying.
Hamilton was quick to make an impression, using the softs to deliver a 1:26.529 and briefly lead, to the delight of the Silverstone crowd. However, his teammate soon led with a 1:25.922, despite Verstappen showing improved pace behind him.
In the final 15 minutes, Norris thrilled the home fans by going fastest with a 1:25.66. Verstappen and Piastri followed suit before Leclerc responded decisively, reclaiming P1 with his session-best time. Hamilton was on a strong lap, quicker than Leclerc through Sector 2, when a red flag for debris halted his charge.
Gabriel Bortoleto crashed out at high speed, bringing proceedings to an early close. Behind the top three, Norris settled for fourth, ahead of Tsunoda, Ollie Bearman, and Alex Albon.
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Qualifying: Verstappen Takes Pole
Q1
Bortoleto led the field out in qualifying after his repaired Sauber was cleared to run, while Piastri set the early pace on soft tyres with a 1:26.002.
Drama struck when Colapinto spun into the barriers at the final corner, then stopped again near the pit exit, prompting a red flag as marshals recovered his damaged Alpine.
Once running resumed, Verstappen and Piastri traded fastest laps, while Hamilton and Leclerc risked elimination. The former, low on fuel, clung to P14, as the latter rescued himself with a late push to ninth. At the front, Verstappen edged Piastri and Albon.
OUT: Lawson (P16), Bortoleto (P17), Stroll (P18), Hülkenberg (P19), Colapinto (P20).
Q2
Q2 opened quietly before Verstappen and Piastri set identical times at the top, only for Norris to edge both by 0.085s to the delight of his home crowd. However, the focus soon shifted to the bottom five, where Hamilton and Leclerc, among others, struggled on used tyres.
As the final runs unfolded, Ferrari bolted on fresh rubber and both drivers surged toward the top. Hamilton topped the timesheets with a 1:25.084, narrowly ahead of Leclerc.
OUT: Sainz (P11), Tsunoda (P12), Hadjar (13), Albon (P14), Ocon (P15).
Q3
The top-10 shootout saw Piastri take provisional pole with a 1:24.995, trailed by Hamilton, Norris, Verstappen, and Leclerc. As the clock wound down, the drivers prepared for one final lap.
Piastri looked poised to improve, but faltered on his lap, while Hamilton, Norris, and Leclerc also failed to find more pace. Verstappen, however, delivered, setting a lap time of 1:24.892 to take pole position at the 2025 British GP.
That effort put him 0.103s clear of Piastri, who settled for second ahead of Norris. Russell climbed to fourth, with Hamilton and Leclerc finishing fifth and sixth. Antonelli and Bearman secured strong laps despite impending grid penalties.
Starting Grid After Penalties
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2. | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 3. | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 4. | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 5. | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 6. | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 7. | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 8. | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 9. | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 10. | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 11. | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull |
| 12. | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls |
| 13. | Alex Albon | Williams |
| 14. | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 15. | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 16. | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber |
| 17. | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 18. | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 19. | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber |
| 20. | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
2025 British GP
Lando Norris wins the 2025 British GP, claiming his first F1 victory on home soil. In a chaotic, rain-affected race full of incidents, the McLaren driver beat teammate Oscar Piastri and Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg, losing his championship deficit to just eight points.
Norris capitalised when Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty for braking behind the safety car in wet conditions.
Rain, Retirements, and Relentless Drama
The race began behind a safety car on intermediate tyres, but parts of the track already looked dry. Several drivers, including Russell and Leclerc, gambled on slicks at the end of the formation lap. However, the opening stages quickly turned messy.
Lawson retired after contact with Ocon, with the Frenchman deemed not at fault for the incident. Colapinto was forced to stop with gearbox issues, and Bortoleto slid off into the barriers before retiring with severe damage.
Later, collisions involving Hadjar and Antonelli alongside Tsunoda and Bearman kept the stewards busy as penalties and safety car deployments shaped the order.
Final Stops and Penalties Decide the Podium
As conditions improved, the final pit stops and penalties sealed the outcome. Piastri served his 10-second penalty on lap 43, with Norris pitting a lap later and maintaining the lead.
Piastri urged McLaren to swap places if the penalty proved harsh, but the Australian was told no team orders would be given.
Hülkenberg achieved Driver of the Day, completing a measured drive to take home third for Sauber. After 239 race starts, the German earned his first F1 podium finish, resisting Hamilton’s late pressure.
Gasly, Stroll, Albon, Alonso and Russell rounded out the points, while Bearman narrowly missed out in 11th.
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Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / PsnewZ
Recording Date: 06.07.202
