British Grand Prix: Lando Norris shines amid chaos at Silverstone, Nico Hulkenberg fulfils dream

The National

a day ago

Rain, chaos and redemption – Silverstone delivered it all. On one of the sport's most iconic stages, under heavy skies and soaked tarmac, Formula One's spiritual home reminded the world why it remains one of the crown jewels of the sport. Celebrating 75 years of GP racing at Silverstone, the 2025 British Grand Prix was an unpredictable spectacle, complete with multiple safety cars, dramatic collisions and moments of pure joy.
From brave overtakes to strategic gambles, the race had it all. Lando Norris claimed a triumphant maiden home victory, thrilling the British crowd, but nothing topped the emotional shock of Nico Hulkenberg finally stepping on to a podium. Starting 19th on the grid, the veteran defied the storm and his own long, painful history to finish third in a result that stunned the paddock. On a day when legends faltered and underdogs rose, Silverstone once again etched itself into F1 folklore.
Norris claims victory but was Piastri hard done by?
The roars from the Landostand at Stowe corner told the story long before the chequered flag fell. Norris soaked up the adoration, claiming his maiden home victory at Silverstone in front of a euphoric British crowd. He did so by beating his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who had led much of the race but was dealt a crushing 10-second penalty for 'erratic braking' just after a safety car restart, handing Norris the advantage in a dramatic twist.
Piastri took the lead from Max Verstappen on lap 8 and looked to be in control until a late safety car shifted the race's momentum. At the restart, he slowed sharply, dropping from high speed to around 50 kmph to create a gap. Verstappen, closer and faster, reacted late and lodged a complaint. The stewards ruled Piastri's braking was erratic and forced evasive action. While the Australian saw it as consistent, Jenson Button noted the braking was too aggressive in low-visibility conditions.
Despite Piastri's frustrations, McLaren opted against issuing team orders, allowing both drivers to race freely to the finish. Norris, composed and mistake-free, took over the lead when Piastri served his penalty in the pit lane and never relinquished it. The win marked Norris's first set of consecutive victories in F1 following his triumph in Austria, and cut his championship deficit to Piastri to just eight points at the halfway mark of the season.
'Oh, wow. It's beautiful. Everything I dreamt of, I guess. Everything I've ever wanted to achieve.,' Norris told Button after the race. 'Apart from a championship, I think this is as good as it gets in terms of feelings, in terms of achievement, being proud – all of it.'
Hulkenberg finally achieves a dream
Hulkenberg was long seen as the hero of the midfield – a consistent, respected driver admired by teams and peers alike. For fans of the Netflix series Drive to Survive, he became a man of interest when Renault's team principal at the time, Cyril Abiteboul, praised him after a standout drive at the 2018 US Grand Prix in Austin.
'You can't have a driver like Nico not on a podium. He's world champion material. He deserves a car that matches his ability. I just hope one day we can see that in action because he deserves it.'
For years, Hulkenberg carried the unwanted record for the most Grand Prix starts without a podium. His best results were a trio of fourth-place finishes. Who can forget the painful race at Brazil in 2012, where he briefly led before a collision with Lewis Hamilton and a penalty dropped him to a frustrating fifth in the end.
Fittingly, it was Hamilton chasing him in the final laps at Silverstone. But this time, Hulkenberg – starting 19th – held his ground in wet and chaotic conditions. At long last, fate smiled upon him. After 239 starts, the curse was finally broken.
'I don't think I can comprehend what we've just done. Oh my God,' he said over the radio.
Frustration for Hamilton
All eyes were on Hamilton at Silverstone. He looked poised to deliver, showing promise through practice and early qualifying. But in a cruel twist, a mistake in the final corner of Q3 cost him a shot at the front row, leaving him fifth, just over two tenths adrift of Verstappen's pole.
On race day, Hamilton's push for the podium was ultimately compromised by a mistimed second pit stop. Team principal Fred Vasseur conceded the call came too early, explaining, 'He went straight in Turn 3/4 and lost four or five seconds in those two corners.' Vasseur also revealed that the team had been dealing with transponder issues during the race, which affected their ability to track Hamilton's position on circuit.
While Ferrari pointed to strategy and data limitations, Hamilton was more critical of the car itself, describing the SF-25 as 'the most difficult car I've driven in these conditions.' He added, 'There are elements of this car that cannot go into the following year.'
Charles Leclerc suffered in qualifying, where a mistake on his final Q3 lap undermined his chances of a strong grid position. Things didn't improve on Sunday. His decision to switch to slick tyres early on backfired, and he never recovered, finishing a distant 14th.
Errors and collisions
Verstappen's weekend started with a brilliant pole position and early control of the race, only to unravel in stages. After losing the lead to Piastri on lap 8, the Dutchman's hopes took another hit during the second safety car restart where he spun while trying to manage grip.
Though he recovered to finish fifth, it was another dent in his title hopes amid rumours linking him to Mercedes.
The race itself was gripped by chaos and weather-induced errors from the start. Liam Lawson was the first to retire after a clash with Esteban Ocon on the opening lap, with Ocon later spinning following contact with his Alpine teammate. Gabriel Bortoleto soon followed, crashing into the barriers and damaging his rear wing beyond repair. The next major incident came when Isack Hadjar, struggling with low visibility, misjudged his braking and slammed into the back of Kimi Antonelli, forcing both out and prompting a safety car.