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Lando Norris delighted his home crowd with a victory at the British Grand Prix after capitalizing on a penalty handed to teammate Oscar Piastri. The McLaren duo delivered a dominant performance at Silverstone, with Norris finishing first and Piastri second, while Nico Hülkenberg finally clinched his first Formula 1 podium in his 239th Grand Prix start.
The race began under uncertain skies, with rain returning moments before lights out. Initially dry, the track conditions rapidly shifted, prompting a scramble for intermediate tyres. Max Verstappen led the opening laps, but Oscar Piastri surged past the Red Bull driver on Lap 8, taking the lead as more rain fell. Norris followed closely, overtaking Verstappen at Chapel as the Dutchman struggled with his worn intermediates.
A chaotic sequence followed. Multiple drivers, including Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, and Kimi Antonelli, retired due to crashes or technical issues.
Amid the drama, Piastri stayed out front until a review of his actions behind the Safety Car shifted the momentum of the race. Stewards ruled that Piastri had braked erratically during a restart, issuing a 10-second penalty that proved decisive. Piastri fumed over team radio: "I should be given the lead back," but McLaren denied the request.
Verstappen, who had dropped to P10 after spinning out of Stowe, recovered to fifth. "I feel so slow," he complained while battling for grip and positions in the slippery conditions. Pierre Gasly claimed sixth for Alpine, while Aston Martin's Lance Stroll came seventh after briefly holding a podium position.
As the track dried, several drivers opted to switch to dry-weather tyres. Norris came in on Lap 45 for a set of mediums and rejoined the track ahead of Piastri, who had already taken his penalty during his own stop.. "It's much wetter than before," George Russell warned after spinning off, showing the race's unpredictable nature.
Hülkenberg's remarkable drive from P19 to third was one of the day's biggest stories. The Sauber driver fended off late attacks from Lewis Hamilton to finally secure a long-awaited podium finish. "An almighty task," noted commentators, but the German held firm.
Crossing the line cheers from his home crowd, Norris claimed his fourth win of the season, saying little but soaking in the moment. Piastri followed in second, while Hülkenberg celebrated a career milestone in third.
