McLaren masterclass and Hülkenberg upset as Norris wins 2025 British Grand Prix

Last weekend, the 52-lap British Grand Prix at Silverstone delivered a rain-soaked thriller defined by unpredictable weather, relentless strategy calls, and championship-altering results. McLaren rose above the madness with a sublime 1-2 finish, with Lando Norris claiming a maiden home victory ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, strengthening McLaren’s hold over both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships. Yet the day belonged to Kick Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg, who finally clinched his first-ever Formula 1 podium after 15 years and 239 race starts, delivering a result that will resonate across the rest of the 2025 season.

Silverstone saw an unusual sight before lights out. Though conditions were dry, lingering doubts about incoming rain led five drivers, including Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, to opt to start from the pit lane, swapping intermediate tyres for slicks. Their early tyre gamble quickly backfired as showers arrived within minutes.

From pole position, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen led away cleanly into Turn 1, with Piastri and Norris giving chase. But the race was swiftly neutralised after Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson collided with Haas’ Esteban Ocon on lap one, forcing Lawson to retire. Moments later, Franco Colapinto stalled his Alpine in the pit lane, becoming the second retirement before completing a single racing lap.

The chaos escalated further when Kick Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto spun into the gravel on lap five, prompting a Virtual Safety Car (VSC). Although he rejoined the race briefly, front-wing debris left on the track forced a second VSC and confirmed the Brazilian’s full retirement by lap six. Then came the race’s most dramatic incident. Hadjar rear-ended Antonelli under heavy spray, eliminating both drivers. Hadjar later explained, “I couldn’t see him … he appeared out of nowhere,” blaming visor flooding for the blind hit.

These opening laps reduced the grid from 20 to just 15 runners inside 10 minutes, with two full Safety Cars and two VSCs before Lap 10. Despite early setbacks for others, McLaren executed flawlessly amid the storm.

Sunday’s biggest surprise came courtesy of Nico Hülkenberg

On lap eight, Piastri surged past Verstappen for the lead, sparking roars from a soaked but packed Silverstone crowd. By lap 14, Piastri had extended his lead to nearly 15 seconds, only for it to be wiped away when Leclerc spun off-track in worsening conditions, triggering yet another Safety Car. Leclerc reported water in his helmet, a small but telling factor in his struggles all weekend.

McLaren’s pit stops were timed to perfection amid double-stack chaos, but a slightly slow release allowed Verstappen to temporarily regain the place before Norris retook his position again as the Safety Car withdrew. Crucially, Verstappen spun dramatically on lap 17 under wet acceleration after Piastri braked heavily, an action that earned the Australian a 10-second penalty for dangerous deceleration.

From there, Norris controlled the race. After Piastri served his penalty during a later pit stop on lap 44, rejoining in second, Norris extended a commanding lead and maintained a clean gap to the chequered flag. The Brit ultimately crossed the line 6.812 seconds clear, marking his first British Grand Prix victory, his eighth career title, and McLaren’s third 1-2 of the 2025 season.

Sunday’s biggest surprise came courtesy of Nico Hülkenberg. Starting in a lowly 19th, the German expertly carved through the field, avoiding incidents and aided by perfectly timed tyre calls. By lap 35, the 37-year-old swept past Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll for third and resisted mounting pressure from Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton to seal his historic first career podium in F1.

Crossing the line 34.742 seconds behind Norris, Hülkenberg finally snapped a 15-year podium drought in his 239th Grand Prix, securing Sauber’s first podium finish since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix. Speaking post-race, a delighted Hülkenberg said, “It feels good. It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it?”

On the other end of the performance scale were Red Bull, for whom Silverstone was a near-complete disaster. Verstappen’s Lap 17 spin dropped him to P10, and though he recovered to finish fifth, the reigning champion never looked comfortable. His Red Bull car, set up for low downforce and dry conditions, struggled significantly on the damp track. The Dutchman crossed the line over 56 seconds behind Norris, a staggering deficit from pole position.

Silverstone 2025 embodied everything Formula 1 can deliver

Yuki Tsunoda endured an anonymous, painful afternoon, being lapped by both McLaren drivers before trailing home 15th. With Red Bull’s struggles including not only Tsunoda’s underperformance but also the departure of team principal Christian Horner and a rumoured Verstappen move to Mercedes, the team’s future looks increasingly precarious heading into 2026.

In the Drivers’ Championship, Piastri retains the lead on 234 points, but Norris’ home triumph narrows the gap to just eight points behind on 226. Verstappen’s meagre 10-point haul leaves him stranded at a distant third on 165, a massive 61 points behind Piastri, which all but confirms the end of the Dutchman’s realistic title hopes this season.

Silverstone 2025 embodied everything Formula 1 can deliver. While Lando Norris finally claimed his long-awaited home win, Nico Hülkenberg’s podium will stand as one of the sport’s most popular upsets. With five DNFs, multiple Safety Car periods, unpredictable weather, and seismic shifts in both driver and team standings, the British Grand Prix may well prove the season’s defining race.

After a fortnight off, Formula 1 returns at Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix on 25 July. With McLaren’s orange wave gathering momentum and Red Bull in damage control, the second half of 2025 promises fireworks.