F1 British Grand Prix Race Report

Matt Hylen
Jul 7
12 min read

The cars going through intense water spray from a wet British Grand Prix track. C/O to the-race.com

Race of the year canidate??? If you ask me, nothing tops this.

Round 12 in Silverstone, Great Britain, is officially wrapped, marking the halfway point of the 2025 Formula One season. With the chaos that ensued on what felt like every lap, this might have been the craziest and most unpredictable race that F1 has had in a very long time.

Though one team did dominate, penalties, weather changes, crashes, Safety and Virtual Safety cars flung around like nothing, giving the race twists and turns at every corner. This track has had many crazy and wild races, but this one may have topped them all.

With that said, how did each team fare? Let's take a closer look.

But, before we review how each team did this past weekend, a couple of things to mention:

Formula One has two main championship competitions. The first of the two Championships is the Drivers' Championship, which is a competition based on the drivers' individual performance. On a non-Sprint style weekend, the drivers who finish in the top 10 in each race will score points (the higher you place, the more points you get). These points are added up, and whichever driver finishes with the most points at the end of the season will win the Drivers' Championship.

The next is the Constructors' Championship, a competition between the teams. The number of points the drivers within a team get each race is combined, creating the total points for the team (e.g., Lando Norris has scored 226 points and Oscar Piastri has scored 234 points, giving the McLaren team 460 points in the Constructors' Championship). The team whose drivers accumulate the most points combined for their team will win the Constructors' Championship.

Also, 21 drivers will be listed within the Drivers' Championship Standings, as Franco Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan at Alpine.

Now, here is a look at the standings for both Championships:

Drivers' Championship Standings:

Oscar Piastri 234 points
Lando Norris 226 points
Max Verstappen 165 points
George Russell 147 points
Charles Leclerc 119 points
Lewis Hamilton 103 points
Andrea Kimi Antonelli 63 points
Alexander Albon 46 points
Nico Hulkenberg 37 points
Esteban Ocon 23 points
Isak Hadjar 21 points
Lance Stroll 20 points
Pierre Gasly 19 points
Fernando Alonso 16 points
Carlos Sainz 13 points
Liam Lawson 12 points
Yuki Tsunoda 10 points
Oliver Bearman 6 points
Gabriel Bortoleto 4 points
Franco Colapinto 0 points
Jack Doohan 0 points

Constructors' Championship Standings:

McLaren 460 points
Ferrari 222 points
Mercedes 210 points
Red Bull 172 points
Williams 59 points
Kick Sauber 41 points
VCARB 36 points
Aston Martin 36 points
Haas 29 points
Alpine 19 points

Standings were found at F1.com.

Alpine

Pierre Gasly speaking to the media. C/O to grandprix247.com

Alpine benefited from the chaos in a big way, as they were able to sneak away with a solid bulk of points. Franco Colapinto qualified 20th (started from the pit lane) and did not start the race due to a gearbox issue, while Pierre Gasly qualified 10th (started 8th) and finished 6th.

In what should have been another terrible weekend for Alpine, Pierre Gasly, to say the least, saved the team. Getting this car (which seems to be the worst on the grid currently) not only into Q3, but a top-6 finish is a very impressive feat. Gasly also did not make any notable mistakes with the tricky weather conditions, while capitalizing on the chaos happening in front of him. Though it is likely to be a one-off result, Gasly has a lot to be proud of after navigating a difficult race in a poor car.

Colapinto, on the other hand, may be in some serious trouble. With no indication that his seat is secure, Colapinto may have put the nail in his own coffin. Granted, the gearbox issue has nothing to do with him, but the qualifying result definitely does. It is not expected that Franco outqualifies Gasly consistently, but if Gasly found a way to get the car into Q3, crashing in Q1 and securing last place on the grid is not a good look. Though I still think he deserves the rest of the year to show what he can do, the glimmers of hope are fading fast for the Argentinian youngster.

Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso speaking to the media. C/O to Jayce Illman / Getty Images via motorsport.com

Aston Martin did all they could this weekend, securing double points for the first time this season. Lance Stroll qualified 18th (started 17th) and finished 7th, while Fernando Alonso qualified 9th (started 7th) and finished 9th.

With Alonso already running in the points, Aston Martin seemed to be the only team that benefited from an early wet-to-slick change during the race. Putting Stroll onto soft tires on lap 6 for 4 laps is what caused him to fly up the ranks and run in a points-scoring position. That time Stroll was able to gain during that small window was one of the best strategic decisions the team has made all season long. Stroll then was able to last 31 laps on intermediate tires after pitting during lap 10, which not many other drivers were able to do since they started the race on intermediates.

What confused me, though, is why Alonso did not get similar treatment. Sure, pitting Stroll when they did on lap 6 was a huge gamble, but if they were able to see how much Stroll benefited within a lap, why not pit Alonso as well? If you had taken the gamble with Fernando, who was already in a points position, instead of Lance, who knows what could have happened?

Aside from that, great weekend from Aston Martin, who seem to have been carrying a bit of momentum as of late.

Ferrari

Charles Leclerc post-practice at the British Grand Prix. C/O to REUTERS/Jaimi Joy via straitstimes.com

Ferrari took a major gamble this weekend that did not pay off, resulting in a disappointing weekend overall. Charles Leclerc qualified 6th and finished 14th, while Lewis Hamilton qualified 5th and finished 4th.

What could have been for Ferrari in Silverstone; that is the main takeaway from the team in red's performance this weekend. Ferrari looked to have major pace early in the weekend, which translated into qualifying well, with both Leclerc and Hamilton posting good lap times. However, a lull in performance from Leclerc and a late mistake on his final flying lap from Hamilton saw them finish in the middle of the top 10. Hamilton might have made it on the front row had he not made the mistake he did and gone into the dirt before hitting a corner.

The race itself was just a tale of Ferrari once again not building a car that can effectively drive in wet conditions. Ferrari took a gamble and put Leclerc onto slicks before the race even began, which did not pay off, causing Charles to lose time and positioning. Once the wet weather hit, Leclerc did not stand a chance.

Lewis, on the other hand, could not even get past a Sauber in wet conditions, ending his streak of eleven straight podium finishes at Silverstone. No discredit to Sauber or Nico Hulkenberg (which we will get into later), but it was still not a good look.

Though Ferrari is still well-positioned to fight for 2nd in the Constructors' Championship the rest of the way, disappointing performances like what happened in Silverstone will be costly down the line, especially when the competition also disappointed this weekend.

Haas

Ollie Bearman after making a costly mistake in practice. C/O to formula1.com

Haas' pace was decent in Silverstone, but with no points to show for it. Esteban Ocon qualified 15th (started 14th) and finished 13th, while Oliver Bearman qualified 8th (started 18th due to a 10-place grid drop for speeding under a red flag in practice) and finished 11th.

Bearman's mistake was a tough pill for Haas to swallow this weekend, especially after his brilliant qualifying result. However, what was inexcusable was Ocon and Bearman's collision going into turn 6 that spun both of them out. Haas was never able to recover from that, resulting in a major missed opportunity for the team. Honestly, Ocon and Bearman were lucky that the stewards did not hand out any penalties, but the collision will likely cost them dearly now that the midfield is a 6-team race.

On the bright side, Bearman's qualifying pace was excellent. Coming off a string of horrific qualifying results, it was good to see Bearman back in Q3 and putting together consistent lap times. Though it amounted to nothing in the end, Ollie outperformed Ocon once again, which is promising for his future going forward.

Kick Sauber

Nico Hulkenberg hoisting the 3rd place trophy after securing his first career podium. C/O to total-motorsport.com

NICOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Kick Sauber did the improbable, the unimaginable, and the unthinkable in Silverstone, producing easily the most shocking moment of the season. Gabriel Bortoleto qualified 17th (started 16th) and did not finish the race after crashing into the wall, while Nico Hulkenberg qualified 19th and finished 3rd. Yes, you read that right, 3rd.

First off, I want to take this opportunity to formally apologize to Kick Sauber for the predictions I have made about them going into and during this season. With Audi taking over next season, I did not think that Sauber would score more than a lucky point or two all season, let alone outscore Red Bull in a four-race span. I thought there was no hope for Sauber this season, but I was sorely mistaken. With that said, I could not be happier to be wrong.

Wow. Wow wow wow... just wow. 19th to 3rd. Nico Hulkenberg has done it again. He waited 15 years. 239 races, but he finally did it. Nico Hulkenberg can now officially say he is a podium finisher in Formula One.

Sauber have been unbelievable the past few races. Like I said, they have outscored Red Bull, that's right, Red Bull, in a four-race span. That is insane!! Not only that, but Hulkenberg's brilliance catapulted the team into 6th in the Constructors' Championship.

I said in my last review that I needed to see more from Sauber to truly believe in their ability to contend in the midfield, but I have seen enough. When you have a driver like Nico Hulkenberg, anything is possible. On a tough track with unpredictable weather, Hulkenberg and Sauber somehow found a way to rise all the way from what was last (since Colapinto did not start the race) to the podium. They were perfect on Sunday, which is all that matters. Sure, Bortoleto crashed a few laps in, but so did four of the other rookies.

I think I can speak for most F1 fans when I say that we all hoped a day would come when we would see Nico Hulkenberg on the podium. Now that we've seen it, it was not only better than anyone could have imagined, but brought to light what sports are all about. The love, the energy, the unity; the response we saw to Nico's legendary performance illustrated beautifully what sports can do for the world.

I could not be happier for Nico Hulkenberg and the entire Sauber team, who have done an incredible job this season. An absolutely perfect way to end an unforgettable weekend.

McLaren

Lando Norris hoists the 1st place tropthy after winning his home race in the British Grand Prix. C/O to total-motorsport.com

McLaren had one of their most dominant performances of the season in Silverstone. Oscar Piastri qualified and finished in 2nd, while Lando Norris qualified 3rd and finished 1st.

After the second Safety Car hit and the weather had died down, McLaren took off and never looked back. The only real concern for McLaren this weekend was the 10-second penalty and two penalty points Piastri received for excessive braking after the Safety Car went in. Apparently, Piastri went over the braking PSI (pounds per square inch) limit, which is why the penalty was given.

Now, though I do believe Oscar deserved a penalty, ten seconds seemed extremely harsh. To compare, Max Verstappen received a 10-second penalty for intentionally colliding with George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix. To me, this should have been a 5-second penalty at most. No damage was done, and the conditions were still very shaky.

Obviously, this cost Piastri, who was driving in the lead for a bulk of the race, the win, while also giving it to his teammate and main competition. With Lando only eight points behind now, Silverstone just made things a heck of a lot more interesting as we near the summer break.

Mercedes

George Russell spins off the track after a tire change gamble does not pay off. C/O to formula1.com

Mercedes left Silverstone disappointed after their numerous gambles backfired during the race. Kimi Antonelli qualified 7th (started 10th due to a 3-place grid drop after a collision with Max Verstappen in Austria) and did not finish the race after receiving terminal damage to the car following a collision with Isak Hadjar. George Russell qualified 4th and finished 10th.

Mercedes thought they could gain an advantage on the tires at the start of the race, so they pitted Russell before the race start and Antonelli on lap 2 for slick tires. The only problem was that the team soon realized that the track was not close to being ready for slicks. This cost Russell and Antonelli major positioning.

Later on in the race, once Antonelli had retired, the track started to clear up. However, Mercedes took another gamble and pitted Russell early in hopes the track would dry faster. It did not dry faster. Mercedes also pitted Russell onto hards during both gambles, which was a huge mistake. With the track cold and damp, and hard tires already taking the longest to heat up, Russell struggled for grip mightily all race long.

With Ferrari overtaking them in the Constructors', Mercedes can't afford many more of these strategic blunders. Yes, they did come away with a point, but that isn't enough. They had a good chance at a podium this weekend, especially considering that the car performs at its best in cold temperatures. Major missed opportunity for the silver arrows.

VCARB

Liam Lawson sits inside his car as it is being attended to. C/O to autoaction.com.au

VCARB's weekend ended in disaster, as they came away with a double DNF. Isak Hadjar qualified 13th, with Liam Lawson qualifying 16th, but neither finished the race.

With Isak Hadjar losing the car and going into the wall and Lawson colliding with Esteban Ocon (who was not visible to him due to the intense water spray the track was producing), VCARB's worst-case scenario came true this weekend. With no real pace in qualifying either, VCARB will likely want to put this weekend behind them as soon as they can.

Aside from that, there is not really much else to report on VCARB after the British Grand Prix weekend, since we did not get to see much from them in the race.

Red Bull

Max Verstappen spins out before the race restart. C/O to formula1.com

After securing pole in qualifying, Red Bull had a disastrous race, costing them significantly. Yuki Tsunoda qualified 12th (started 11th) and finished 15th, while Max Verstappen qualified on pole (1st) and finished 5th.

Red Bull are in shambles, and for the first time this season, it is not entirely because of the car. Though he rarely makes any, Max's spin when the safety car was ending was a costly mistake on his part. Though he did his best to salvage the weekend with a 5th place finish, Max was primed for at least a podium before the spin. Meanwhile, while all of this was happening, Tsunoda was receiving penalties for causing a collision and was the only car that got lapped during the race.

In all honesty, it may be time to throw in the towel on this season and focus on the car's development for 2026. They are in no-man's-land in the Constructors' Championship, with Max now 61 points behind Lando Norris, who is in 2nd place in the Drivers' Championship. The car is just too far gone for Verstappen to compete on a consistent basis. Their result in Silverstone, as well as the previous three races, is evidence enough that the car is just undrivable.

Sure, we may see a few more race wins from Verstappen this season, but it's likely that it won't be enough to amount to anything. Plus, Tsunoda, who is a much better driver than what his current form is saying, cannot get a handle on the car. Though you can never truly count out Max Verstappen, combine these factors, and this season is likely a wash already for Red Bull.

Williams

Williams may not have looked the best, but they came away with some valuable points nonetheless. Carlos Sainz qualified 11th (started 10th) and finished 12th, while Alex Albon qualified 14th (started 13th) and finished 8th.

Williams were decent pace-wise this weekend despite the tricky conditions. After a brutal stretch of races where we saw three straight DNFs from Albon, he was able to recover nicely and drive a mistake-free race. Sainz was also decent this weekend, as he did the best he could considering the damage his underfloor received after a fight with Charles Leclerc.

Though their car has been unreliable, I think we will see a major bounce back from Williams in the next race weekend in Belgium. Their car thrives on straight-line speed, and what better track has that than Belgium? Silverstone was a survive-and-escape weekend for Williams, which they were able to execute. With Sainz and Albon still looking relatively strong after a crazy weekend, the team seems to be back on track.