Motorsports
Norris Nation
Norris Wins British Grand Prix in the Rain, Hulkenberg Gets First-Ever Podium
Silverstone, United Kingdom — Lando Norris gave home fans something to cheer for as he won a dramatic and rain-soaked British Grand Prix on Sunday. The McLaren driver took advantage of changing weather and a costly penalty to teammate Oscar Piastri to secure his first-ever win at Silverstone.
It was Norris’ fourth win of the season and the eighth of his career. More importantly, it brought him closer in the championship race, just eight points behind leader Piastri.
“This is a dream,” an emotional Norris said over the radio. “Winning at home… thank you, McLaren.”
Piastri had led the race early on but was handed a 10-second penalty for slowing too much behind the safety car. Despite the setback, he still finished second, while veteran Nico Hulkenberg grabbed third for Sauber. It was Hulkenberg’s first podium after 239 races.
“A long time coming!” said Hulkenberg, beaming. “We always had it in us, it finally came together.”
Piastri kept his cool post-race, even with the penalty costing him the win. “Congrats to Nico, that’s the story of the day,” he said.
Lewis Hamilton, racing for Ferrari, finished fourth, just ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The rest of the top 10 were Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Alex Albon (Williams), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), and George Russell (Mercedes).
The race began under cloudy skies after a bout of heavy rain, with Verstappen starting from pole. Early drama saw Liam Lawson slide off track and Franco Colapinto stall in the pit lane, triggering safety cars and virtual safety cars throughout the opening laps.
Piastri eventually took the lead from Verstappen by lap eight, but rain and poor visibility made racing tricky. Drivers struggled with water splashing into their visors, and multiple incidents, including Isack Hadjar’s crash into Kimi Antonelli, brought out more safety cars.
When racing resumed, Piastri was hit with his time penalty, leaving Norris to push ahead. The Brit stayed cool in worsening conditions, crossing the finish line 6.8 seconds ahead of his teammate.
The race was F1’s 1,173rd in its 75-year history, and few had more drama.
Sebastien Ogier kept his World Rally Championship dream alive in Chile on Sunday, clinching his 66th career victory and tightening his grip on a possible record-equalling ninth world title.
The 41-year-old Frenchman, driving for Toyota, crossed the finish line 11 seconds ahead of teammate Elfyn Evans. The Welshman had been leading after Friday’s stages, but Ogier mastered the rain-soaked gravel on Saturday to seize control.
It was Ogier’s fifth win of the season, enough to lift him two points clear of Evans at the top of the drivers’ standings with only three rallies left on the calendar. Should he hold on, he will match the legendary Sebastien Loeb’s tally of nine titles.
The result also marked Toyota’s 10th win of the season, extending its cushion over Hyundai in the manufacturers’ standings and bringing the Japanese marque closer to a fifth straight team championship. Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux gave Hyundai some consolation by finishing third.
Ogier had initially planned to drive part-time this season, skipping three rallies. But once the title fight opened up in his favor, he decided to contest the remaining events. His back-to-back wins now mean he will take on the role of road opener at the next round, the Central European Rally on October 16 — an advantage on the tarmac.
Reflecting on the win, Ogier admitted it wasn’t all smooth sailing: “We had to fight a bit more, we had a little issue in the mornings as I was not awake but we can be pleased with the way we ended up. I’m happy with that and I’m looking forward to switching to tarmac.”
Lewis Hamilton’s dream start with Ferrari has turned into the toughest season of his Formula One career, with the Italian Grand Prix arriving as a crucial test of patience for fans and team alike.
The seven-time world champion joined Ferrari this year, sparking hope among the tifosi that their 18-year wait for a driver’s crown would end. Instead, Hamilton sits a staggering 200 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri after 15 races, without a single win or podium.
The Dutch Grand Prix capped off Ferrari’s misery. Hamilton spun in practice, then crashed out of the race alongside teammate Charles Leclerc. A five-place grid penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags only makes Monza harder.
Still, Hamilton insists he hasn’t lost his sense of pride in wearing red. At a fan event in Milan, he called it “special to remember I’m a Ferrari driver,” adding that the passion of supporters was “intense but very positive.”
Yet behind the optimism lies frustration. At Hungary, Hamilton even described himself as “completely useless,” fueling speculation about retirement. He admits the rollercoaster has been more volatile than expected, but hopes “the sun may be coming out on the brighter end of the tunnel.”
For now, Ferrari is a sideshow at their own home race. The season has been defined by McLaren’s domination, with Piastri and Lando Norris winning all but three races. Piastri leads Norris by 34 points, while Max Verstappen—second at Zandvoort—faces the reality of losing his grip on the title after four straight championships.
Monza may still roar for Ferrari, but unless Hamilton and Leclerc find form, the famous circuit will belong to McLaren’s rising stars.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
🏎️ FORMULA ONE: CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Formula One world championship standings ahead of this weekend’s
Dutch Grand Prix — the 15th round of the 24-race season.
───────────────────────────────
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
───────────────────────────────
🏁 DRIVERS STANDINGS
────────────────────
- Oscar Piastri (AUS) ………. 284 pts
- Lando Norris (GBR) ……….. 275
- Max Verstappen (NED) ……… 187
- George Russell (GBR) ……… 172
- Charles Leclerc (MON) …….. 151
- Lewis Hamilton (GBR) ……… 109
- Kimi Antonelli (ITA) ……… 64
- Alex Albon (THA) …………. 54
- Nico Hulkenberg (GER) …….. 37
- Esteban Ocon (FRA) ……….. 27
- Fernando Alonso (ESP) …….. 26
- Lance Stroll (CAN) ……….. 26
- Isack Hadjar (FRA) ……….. 22
- Pierre Gasly (FRA) ……….. 20
- Liam Lawson (NZL) ………… 20
- Carlos Sainz (ESP) ……….. 16
- Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA) …… 14
- Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) ……….. 10
- Oliver Bearman (GBR) ……… 8
- Franco Colapinto (ARG) ……. 0
- Jack Doohan (AUS) ………… 0
───────────────────────────────
🏆 CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS
───────────────────────────────
- McLaren …………………. 559 pts
- Ferrari …………………. 260
- Mercedes ………………… 236
- Red Bull ………………… 194
- Williams ………………… 70
- Aston Martin …………….. 52
- Sauber ………………….. 51
- Racing Bulls …………….. 45
- Haas ……………………. 35
- Alpine ………………….. 20
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
