Lando Norris wins his home Grand Prix in a chaotic race, as Nico Hulkenberg breaks a 238 race streak without a podium.
Despite the track appearing dry for the most part, the rain prior to the race’s start meant drivers started on the intermediate tyres, although some drivers like Leclerc and Russell gambled on going onto slicks at the end of the formation lap.
Piastri looked to get a better launch off the grid, but Verstappen was able to reach turn 1 in the lead. Hamilton was hustling Norris for P3 throughout the first lap, but the McLaren driver was able to stay ahead.
A virtual safety car was called coming into lap 2 after an opening lap collision involving Lawson and Ocon, taking the former out of the race and giving the latter some damage.
Antonelli would come in at the end of lap 2 while the VSC was still out to copy his teammate’s strategy and go onto hard tyres, though the risks were immediately apparent as he struggled to get round turn 3.
Bortoleto, who was on the medium tyres, had gone off almost immediately after green flag running resumed. He was able to start driving again, but rear wing damage meant his race was over.
Bortoleto would stop the car at the old pit exit, which would bring out the second virtual safety car in just six laps.
Piastri was all over Verstappen as green flag running resumed, and would eventually get the overtake done towards Stowe corner on lap 8, before quickly pulling away.
Rain would begin to fall not long after, but for the time being the slicks looked quicker, as Stroll was making strong in roads on intermediate runners, while Leclerc and Antonelli had a close fight with one another.
The rain was getting very strong by lap 11, meaning the dry tyres runners needed to pit again.
Verstappen was really fighting his car and it’s terrible tyres, with a slide at the end of Maggots and Becketts bringing him off track, allowing Norris to slide on by.
However, a slow pit stop would put Norris back behind Verstappen, with both briefly being behind Albon, who would pit one lap later.
The rain was increasing at a significant rate, right as the battle between Norris and Verstappen intensified once again, and the latter’s low wings were seriously hurting him.
However, a safety car would be called out as a result of the downpour, with visibility being very minimal. It would screw over both McLarens, with the significant margin that Piastri had built up being completely wiped out, while Norris would have to wait for his opportunity to pass Verstappen.
The Ferraris appeared particularly slow in these conditions, with Hamilton having moved down to eighth, all the while Leclerc skidded along in a straight line across Maggots and Becketts.
Perfect strategy calls had allowed Stroll and Hulkenberg to climb up to fourth and fifth respectively, allowing them to be on a strong position should anything happen to the leaders.
Racing resumed once again on lap 18, which saw Piastri get a clean getaway, while there was some swapping of positions between Russell and Hamilton.
However another safety car would come out after Hadjar would have a big collision with the barriers after running into the back of Antonelli at Copse corner, which would force the Frenchman to retire.
Verstappen would spin around right before racing resumed once again, falling down to 10th place, but would struggle further on the lap after, and also bringing Stroll up to third place.
Bearman had been slightly tagged by Tsunoda at Brooklands on lap 22, spinning around but was able to continue. Not long after, Antonelli was asked to box to retire the car, the damage caused by Hadjar proving to be too much.
Hamilton went wide at Copse corner on lap 24 while chasing Gasly for fifth, allowing Russell to steal his position.
Piastri had suffered a 10 second time penalty for a safety car infringement at the most recent restart, having slowed down too suddenly for the stewards liking and causing Verstappen to overtake briefly.
Hamilton would regain sixth place on lap 26 after making a deep lunge on the inside of Russell at Stowe.
Tsunoda would get his own 10 second penalty following on on from his tagging of Bearman a few laps prior.
Hamilton would climb up to fifth place on lap 29, the search for his twelfth consecutive podium at the British Grand Prix only a few seconds up the road.
Hulkenberg was looking racey after Hamilton came through for fifth, and began really hassling Stroll, but was struggling to get close to overtake, all the while Hamilton was getting closer to the both of them.
DRS would be enabled on lap 34, which was exactly what Hulkenberg needed to climb up into the podium positions, though it would only be a matter of corners before Hamilton would gain fourth, how long would it be before Hamilton would be close enough to fight for the podium?
Verstappen behind also used DRS to get close enough to finally claim back another position, overtaking Sainz for 9th.
Fernando Alonso would be the first to gamble on the slick tyres, coming into the pits on lap 38. Mercedes were also considering it, and Russell would also make the same gamble one lap later.
The pace of Alonso and Russell would quickly prove that the call was certainly too early, both seriously lacking in grip. Russell would have a massive spin around Maggots and Becketts, fortunately keeping his car in one piece.
Hamilton would begin to lose time to Hulkenberg, and in a massive strategy call for Ferrari, he would come in for soft tyres on lap 41. Only time would tell if it was a right call, but Leclerc coming through on intermediates didn’t make it look good.
Hulkenberg would make the pit one lap later to cover off Hamilton, and despite a slow stop he was a long way ahead of Hamilton.
Piastri would come in on lap 44, serving his 10 second penalty, while Norris would come in just one lap later.
There was contact between the two Haas teammates, having a crash at Brooklands, although both were able to continue and no safety car was called.
Despite the 10 second penalty, the extra lap on the wrong tyre meant that the gap between Piastri and Norris was only 5 seconds, though Piastri was struggling a bit and had a minor off at Maggots and Becketts.
The dry tyres were still proving difficult despite being the quicker tyre, as demonstrated by Leclerc skidding off of the track at Stowe, though he did not hit the barrier.
Hamilton had began to gain quite quickly on Hulkenberg, being on a softer tyre, getting to within 5.5 seconds on lap 48. However, a mistake appeared to take place for the Ferrari driver, bringing that gap back up to 7 seconds.
Lando Norris would have a calm end of the race, managing to pull further away from Piastri, allowing himself to bring home his first win at his home race.
Although Hamilton was able to gain on Hulkenberg, it was not by enough, allowing Nico Hulkenberg, who has started 239 races, to take his first career podium. It also marks Sauber’s first podium since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.
The result now means that Lando Norris is just 8 points behind Piastri in the driver’s championship.
The next race is the Belgian Grand Prix, which will take place in three weeks time on July 27.
