Max fifth in tumultuous British wet weather race: 'Lousy race'

Published on 06 July 2025 by Florence Cobben

Lando Norris has won his home race in Silverstone. While his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri seemed on track for the win, a time penalty cost him first place in a chaotic rain race. The German Sauber driver Nico Hülkenberg completed the British Grand Prix podium, for the first time after fifteen years in Formula 1. 

Polesitter Max Verstappen suffered from the start from the incident-prone rainy conditions, interrupted by multiple (virtual) safety cars. A spin at one of the restarts dropped the Dutch Oracle Red Bull Racing driver into the midfield. He spent the rest of his race working his way back to the front of the grid. In the end, he had to content himself with fifth place. 

“It was really tough. Yesterday was alright, but today was really difficult”, says Max, who had managed to take pole position yesterday thanks to a car setup with little downforce, but struggled in the wet weather race. “From the beginning we didn’t have the speed. At the restart I spun. Then I got stuck in the midfield, and then I had no more speed, which is just not good.”

Max concludes, “With these wing positions and little grip, we were actually pretty bad. It was just a lousy race. I did expect it to be a tricky race with this weather, but not that difficult and challenging.”

On the iconic Silverstone track, spattered with spots of water after early rain showers, it’s Max that leads the race from pole position. Defending the spot from Piastri, Norris and Hamilton, he maintains the lead. The entire grid starts on intermediates, but the changeable conditions mean a handful of drivers immediately head into the pits to switch to slicks. Russell and Leclerc also change to a new set of tyres.

Not long after the start, Liam Lawson drives his left rear wheel over Esteban Ocon’s right front wheel, causing the Racing Bull to shoot out of the race, sustaining too much damage for recovery. A virtual safety car is called in for a couple of laps. Not long after, Gabriel Bortoleto shoots off the track on his medium tyres. With a damaged rear wing, the Sauber attempts to slink back to the pits, but a virtual safety car is called in anyway for the second time.

Max’s intermediates already show signs of degradation, and he starts drifting through the corners. When the race resumes on the eighth lap, Piastri is just in his rearview mirror. It’s not long before the Australian passes the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver.

The rain begins to pick up, and the drivers on slicks head back into the pits – their gamble hadn't paid off. Meanwhile, Piastri is six seconds clear of Verstappen, while Norris gains on Max. The Dutchman, struggling, loses control of the car for a moment, and Norris profits. But it’s not long before the order re-establishes itself – Piastri, Norris and Verstappen head into the pits for new intermediates. Max has a significantly faster pitstop than Norris and regains P2.

After twelve laps, Max is ten seconds behind Piastri and two seconds ahead of Norris. The rain picks up, and conditions worsen – it’s not long before a safety car is deployed. Behind Piastri, Max and Norris, it’s Stroll who has worked his way up to P4. He’s followed by Nico Hülkenberg, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton.

On lap eighteen, the safety car retires, but not for long – Isack Hadjar crashes in his Racing Bull and the safety car reappears. Replays show Hadjar hitting the back of Antonelli’s car, who was barely visible amidst the spray of the water on track. Antonelli’s Mercedes, although damaged, carries on.

The restart marks the turning point of Max’s race – Piastri brakes aggressively, almost coming to a standstill. Max takes evasive action and avoids him, but moments later, struggling for grip, he spins and falls from P2 to P10. The Australian is flagged for investigation, but the two McLarens speed off, both of them about two seconds faster than the rest of the grid.

Hamilton also has a moment and Russell profits and slips by. The FIA stewards give Piastri a ten-second penalty for his action behind the safety car. A couple of laps later Hamilton passes Russell and reclaims P6. In lap 30 the Brit passes Gasly and is promoted to fifth. Max, with a car setup not built for wet conditions, struggles to take the fight to Carlos Sainz in P9.

DRS is enabled from lap 35 onwards, and Hülkenberg overtakes Stroll for P3. Hamilton also passes the Aston Martin. Max begins to move his way up the grid, finally claiming P9. On lap 38, Alonso makes the bold move to try dry weather tyres (mediums). Russell follows suit and changes to hard tyres, but neither driver has any luck with the risky move, and the Brit spins off track.

On lap 42, Max boxes for slicks. The last ten laps he races on mediums, while Hamilton, on softs, suffers yet another detour. Hülkenberg then gets the breathing room to change to slicks and hold P3. Max in sixth struggles to keep the Red Bull on the track, and the McLarens come in to the pits. By serving his penalty, Piastri falls behind Norris, who now leads the race.

Oliver Bearman makes a consequential misjudgement and drives into his Haas teammate, Esteban Ocon. The slippery race conditions continue to make themselves known as Piastri too, struggles for a moment. With two laps to go, Max overtakes Stroll and manages to clinch fifth, his finishing position.

Norris wins the tumultuous British Grand Prix ahead of his McLaren teammate. Hülkenberg finishes third, scoring his first Formula 1 podium in his 239th Grand Prix. Hamilton brings his Ferrari across the line in fourth, ahead of Verstappen and Stroll.

Results Grand Prix Great Britain: