Lando Norris claimed victory at a dramatic British Grand Prix, securing his first triumph at his home race at Silverstone.
The McLaren driver's path to the top step opened after team-mate Oscar Piastri received a 10-second penalty for a controversial Safety Car infringement involving Max Verstappen.
The wet-dry conditions created chaos throughout the field, but Norris capitalised on the circumstances to deliver a memorable win in front of the British crowd.
His victory marked a significant milestone in his Formula 1 career, having previously come close at Silverstone without managing to secure the top spot until this thrilling Sunday afternoon.
Lando Norris has boosted his chances of winning the F1 Drivers' Championship after securing glory at a rain-soaked British Grand Prix on Sunday
GETTY
The race began under uncertain conditions as earlier rain gave way to sunshine, only for a fresh downpour to arrive before lights out.
Officials opted to conduct the formation lap behind the Safety Car, with the track drying rapidly enough to prompt immediate strategic decisions.
George Russell and Charles Leclerc gambled early, diving into the pits at the end of the formation lap for hard and medium tyres respectively. This left a reduced grid for the standing start as teams grappled with the challenging conditions.
Franco Colapinto started from the pit lane after fitting a new power unit to his Alpine, whilst others faced the dilemma of when to switch from intermediate to slick tyres.
Piastri secured the lead from pole position but Max Verstappen challenged on the outside line through Abbey corner.
The race immediately descended into chaos when Liam Lawson's grand prix ended after contact with Haas driver Esteban Ocon exiting the loop, triggering a Virtual Safety Car.
Colapinto's race also concluded prematurely as he returned to the pit lane and retired his Alpine.
Gabriel Bortoleto added to the incident list when he struck the wall at Farm corner, destroying his rear wing and parking inside Copse corner, prompting another VSC period.
Lando Norris was impressive as he secured glory at the British Grand Prix
GETTY
When racing resumed, Piastri pressured Verstappen before executing an overtake into Stowe on lap eight, capitalising on the Red Bull's struggles in the wet conditions.
Nico Hulkenberg achieved a career milestone by securing his first Formula 1 podium after 239 grand prix starts, delivering a remarkable result for Sauber.
The German driver's long wait finally ended amidst the strategic chaos that defined the afternoon at Silverstone.
Teams faced immense challenges with tyre selection as conditions fluctuated dramatically.
The early gambles by Russell and Leclerc on slicks proved costly as they haemorrhaged time before the Virtual Safety Car period, finding themselves over 20 seconds behind the pack.
Kimi Antonelli's struggles exemplified the treacherous conditions, running straight off at the first corner after switching to slicks.
Oscar Piastri was forced to settle for second at Sunday's British Grand Prix
GETTY
Ferrari informed Lewis Hamilton that more rain was expected within 10 laps, adding another layer of complexity to strategy calls.
In the end, however, it was Norris who was able to secure glory.
The result means the British driver has now closed the gap on Piastri in the race for the F1 Drivers' Championship.
Most Read
