Three things learned from British Grand Prix

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14 hours ago

McLaren's Lando Norris nerveless drive sealed victory in the British Grand Prix and upped the pressure on Oscar Piastri (Andrej ISAKOVIC)
Lando Norris confirmed he has rediscovered his mojo with a win at the British Grand Prix to ensure he can maintain a challenge for the Formula One drivers' championship in a likely McLaren team battle with Australia's Oscar Piastri.
The 25-year-old Briton claimed another victory –- his fourth of the season and the eighth of his career –- backing up his win the previous weekend in Austria to move within eight points of championship leader Piastri.
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This latest triumph was built on solid team decisions, determination and an inspired will to succeed in hostile conditions.
AFP Sport looks at three things learned from Sunday's chaotic contest at Silverstone:
Title fight set to go to the wire
At the mid-point in the 24-race season, Norris and McLaren proved that calm, error-free decision-making can be decisive when surrounded by confusion and crashes and that, even on a revered 'drivers' track' there are days when the pit-wall knows best.
Norris won not only because he drove meticulously in treacherous conditions, maintaining his concentration and obeying orders, but because his McLaren engineers made well-timed and accurate calls for pit-stops.
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He beat the studious Piastri at his own game, by eschewing emotion during the race while the 24-year-old Melburnian was punished –- with a harsh 10-second mid race penalty -– for a rash moment of reckless heavy braking while leading behind the Safety Car.
It was a rare self-inflicted setback for Piastri who admitted later, after his request for team orders to swap places with Norris was refused, that such a move would have been unfair.
"Lando didn't do anything wrong," he said.
"So, I don't think it would have been particularly fair to have swapped…. But, I know I deserved a lot more than what I got today.
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"I drove a really strong race, and when you don't get the result you think you deserve, it hurts -- especially when it's not in your control.'
Like Norris, who was left to lick his wounds after crashing into Piastri in Canada, he now has time to reflect and respond, having allowed an increased level of emotion to surface in his racing.
Hulkenberg revels in 'surreal' podium
Nico Hulkenberg had the broadest grin in the paddock on Sunday thanks to the superb management of his race by the Sauber pit-wall team, enabling him to execute his race perfectly and claim a well-deserved maiden podium finish at the 239th attempt.
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His long-recognised, but rarely rewarded, talent ensured he fended off seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton's late charge for his first Ferrari podium and extend a personal run of 12 Silverstone top-three finishes.
Like Norris, he gained from flawless decision-making with team chief Jonathan Wheatley, formerly sporting director of Red Bull, galvanising them as Hulkenberg progressed from the back of the grid to claim a "surreal" moment of joy.
While others floundered, notably Ferrari and Mercedes with some high-risk decisions, steady stewardship from Wheatley paid off.
Sauber are preparing for next year when they become Audi's factory team and with Hulkenberg's experience appear to be growing as a force this season.
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Verstappen still a title player
He may have written himself off and be rumoured to favour a switch to Mercedes from Red Bull, but as he proved again Max Verstappen has the unique talent to out-perform rive the potential and failings of his car.
"This car is just so difficult to drive," he complained after falling from second to 10th when he spun during Sunday's rain-hit chaos before he fought back to finish fifth.
He had chosen to go with a low-drag rear-wing to snatch the 44th pole of his career on Saturday -– a choice that was risky and did not pay off when the torrential rain arrived on Sunday.
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But the seven-time champion proved that he could handle the challenge and thereby proved he may become a factor in the title race by winning more races and trimming the 69-point deficit behind Piastri.
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