Norris takes first Silverstone win in dramatic race

5 hours ago 2

McLaren's Lando Norris raises his arms in celebration after winning the British Grand Prix

F1 Correspondent at Silverstone

McLaren's Lando Norris took his first home victory in a chaotic, dramatic, rain-affected British Grand Prix.

Norris benefited from a 10-second penalty handed to team-mate Oscar Piastri, who was found to have driven erratically during a restart after one of two safety-car periods at Silverstone.

Piastri had led the race calmly through a heavy shower of rain and series of incidents but was passed by Norris when he served his penalty at his final pit stop in the closing laps.

Norris appeared to be crying in his helmet on the slowing-down lap and described the win as "beautiful".

It reduces his deficit to Piastri in the drivers' championship to eight points.

"Apart from a championship, I think this is as good as it gets in terms of feelings and in terms of achievement, being proud, all of it," Norris said.

"The last few laps, I was just looking into the crowd. I was just trying to take it all in, enjoy the moment, because it might never happen again. I hope it does. But these are memories that I'll bring with me forever."

Nico Hulkenberg, 37, took his first podium finish at the 239th attempt - setting a new record for the longest time before finishing in the top three - after a strong race for Sauber.

The German managed to keep Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari at bay in the closing laps as Red Bull's Max Verstappen came home fifth.

Record crowd sees action-packed race

Max Verstappen spins entering Vale just as racing resumed after a safety car

An all-time F1 record crowd - 168,000 on the day and 500,000 over the weekend - were treated to an action-packed race.

Perhaps the most extraordinary moment came when Verstappen spun before racing had resumed at the restart after the second safety-car period.

Verstappen appeared to have been distracted by what had happened a few seconds before in the incident that earned Piastri his penalty.

As Piastri prepared for the final restart on lap 22, he slowed on the Hangar Straight. Verstappen, partially unsighted in the wet conditions, briefly passed the Australian, and then complained over the radio that he had suddenly braked.

It carried echoes of an incident at the Canadian Grand Prix two races ago, when Red Bull protested against a similar action by race winner George Russell of Mercedes, but had it rejected.

This time, the stewards decided Piastri had contravened a regulation that demands drivers "proceed at a pace which involved no erratic braking nor any other manoeuvre which is likely to endanger other drivers from the point at which the lights on the safety car are turned off".

Piastri was angry, but said he was "not going to say much because I'll get myself into trouble" - a reference to rules that say drivers can be penalised for criticising officials.

"Apparently you can't break behind the safety car any more. I did it for five laps before that," he said.

As the field rounded Stowe, Verstappen lost control and spun, dropping down to 10th place.

He recovered to fifth but is now 69 points behind Piastri and his championship hopes are dimmer than ever, especially in the face of McLaren's consistently strong form.

Hulkenberg, meanwhile, secured a hugely popular podium place from 19th on the grid.

"Coming from almost last it was pretty surreal, not sure how it happened," he said.

"We were really on it, the right calls. I was in denial until probably the last pit stop. But when we gapped Lewis I thought, 'OK.' The pressure was there. I knew he would give it all in front of his home crowd, but I was like, 'Sorry guys, this is my day. I have to stick my neck out.'"

Oscar Piastri passes Max Verstappen for lead on lap eight

The race started on a wet track after a soaking wet morning, but with the sun out and more rain heading towards Silverstone.

Verstappen held the lead through a brief challenge from Piastri off the line but he could not shake the McLarens, and Piastri was soon challenging him hard for the lead.

Before he could try a move, though, a virtual safety car was deployed after Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto crashed at Turn Two on lap four.

The race was restarted on lap seven, and Piastri was past Verstappen on the Hangar Straight before two laps were over, building a 2.9-second lead after just one lap.

It was then Norris' turn to challenge the Red Bull, but Verstappen gifted him the position when he slid off at Becketts on lap 11, just as heavy rain started.

That brought the drivers into the pits for fresh intermediates. By then, Aston Martin's Lance Stroll had gained time by an earlier change to soft tyres when the track was drying and emerged in fourth place, with Hulkenberg in fifth after stopping for inters on lap 10, so benefiting when others had to drive on a wet track on slick tyres and then pit.

The rain became heavier and a safety car was deployed on lap 14. The race restarted on lap 18, but a second safety car was sent out within a lap after Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar ran into the back of Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes at Copse because he could not see him in the spray.

When the race restarted for the last time on lap 22, Piastri started to try to build a lead but he was not able to get more than four seconds ahead before Norris came back at him - he was less than two seconds back by the time Piastri pitted to serve his penalty with nine laps to go.

Stroll was unable to hold on to his third place, soon being passed by Hulkenberg, then Hamilton, and eventually dropping down to seventh place.

Behind Verstappen, Alpine's Pierre Gasly, who was fifth at the restart, lost places to Hamilton and the Dutchman but was able to secure sixth place.

Williams' Alex Albon was eighth, ahead of Fernando Alonso, who was frustrated by his team's strategy costing him places in the topsy-turvy early part of the race, then pitted a couple of laps too early for slick tyres as the track dried in the closing stages.

That dropped him to last, but he recovered to take ninth, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, who also stopped early for slicks for the final time.