Norris wins chaotic F1 British GP after Piastri penalty

Times of Oman

2 days ago

BEIJING -- McLaren's Lando Norris claimed his first win on home soil and second straight victory in a chaotic, rain-affected Formula 1 British Grand Prix on Sunday, delighting a record crowd of 168,000 at Silverstone.
The McLaren driver, who triumphed in Austria a week ago, was the chief beneficiary of a 10-second penalty handed to teammate Oscar Piastri, who had been leading before a misjudgment behind the safety car.
As the safety car pulled in on lap 21, Piastri braked heavily in the wet, catching out Max Verstappen behind him. The Red Bull driver, unable to see clearly through the spray, passed Piastri momentarily and voiced strong objections over the radio.
Race stewards decreed that Piastri had braked too heavily and issued the penalty, which he served on lap 43. The Australian later called on the team to swap positions with Norris in the closing stages, believing his punishment to be harsh.
However, McLaren refused to issue team orders, allowing Norris to take the chequered flag and close to within eight points of Piastri's championship lead.
Behind the McLaren duo, Nico Hulkenberg drove a stunning race to claim third for Sauber, marking both the German's first podium in 238 starts and the team's first top-three finish since 2012. Starting 19th, Hulkenberg navigated the treacherous conditions superbly and passed Lance Stroll on lap 35 to secure the spot.
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in his Ferrari, ending a streak of 12 consecutive podiums at his home Grand Prix. Pole-sitter Verstappen recovered to fifth after a spin on lap 21 dropped him from second to 10th. The Dutchman had slid off at the exact moment the safety car was preparing to withdraw, but kept his car out of the barriers.
The race was punctuated by multiple safety car and virtual safety car periods, as intermittent rain left patches of the circuit soaked and others nearly dry. Intermediate tyres were used for the formation lap, which was surprisingly conducted behind the safety car. Several drivers, including George Russell and Charles Leclerc, pitted for slicks before the race officially began from a standing start.
Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson was the first retirement after being clipped by Esteban Ocon, while Franco Colapinto's Alpine was stuck in second gear and forced out shortly after. Gabriel Bortoleto slid into a barrier after hitting a damp section on medium tires, becoming the third retiree and triggering another virtual safety car.
Piastri passed Verstappen for the lead on lap 8, and Norris followed suit on lap 11 when Verstappen ran wide. Norris lost second place during the ensuing pit stops due to a slow change, but regained the lead after Piastri's penalty and Verstappen's spin.
The safety car reappeared on lap 14 as the rain intensified, and again on lap 18 after Isack Hadjar collided with Kimi Antonelli, taking both out of the race.
As the rain relented, teams changed to slick tyres for the race's conclusion. Fernando Alonso and Russell were first to gamble, but the track remained too wet. Russell spun 720 degrees in a dramatic moment that cost him a shot at points. As conditions improved, Hamilton initiated a second wave of pit stops for slicks, but couldn't close the gap to Hulkenberg in the final laps.
Behind the top five, Gasly finished sixth for Alpine, followed by Stroll, Williams' Alex Albon, Alonso and Russell.
In the Drivers' Championship, Piastri still leads with 234 points, with Norris now just eight points behind, and both drivers now have five wins apiece at the halfway mark of the 2025 season. Third-placed Verstappen is a further 65 points adrift, with the race for the title increasingly looking like an all-McLaren affair.
In the Constructors' standings, McLaren remains top with 460 points, more than double the total of second-placed Ferrari on 222 points. Mercedes sits third with 210.
The 13th round of the 2025 F1 season is the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on July 27.