Norris wins wet and chaotic home British GP

Lando Norris won his home British Grand Prix for the first time after title-leading team-mate Oscar Piastri collected a 10-second penalty for a controversial Safety Car incident with Max Verstappen in a thrilling rain-hit race.

Winning back-to-back races in the same season for the first time having beaten Piastri in Austria last week, Norris has cut the Australian's tittle lead to just eight points at the halfway stage of the 24-race Formula 1 season.

"This is a dream winning at home," said an emotional Norris via the McLaren team radio on his slow-down lap.

"Thanks for the memory. I will remember this more than anything." 

Nico Hulkenberg, meanwhile, finally ended his career-long podium wait as, at the 239th time of asking, the Sauber driver drove a stunning, extraordinary race from 19th on the grid to beat Silverstone specialist Lewis Hamilton to third.

Finishing fourth for the second week running, Hamilton's wait for a first Grand Prix podium at Ferrari therefore continues, with the Briton's run of consecutive Silverstone top-three finishes ending at 12.

Verstappen spun in the wet soon after the Piastri incident but fought his way back to fifth, ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.

Alex Albon was eighth for Williams and Fernando Alonso ninth in the second Aston Martin, while George Russell took the final point in 10th after a wild race in which two gambles on early switches to slick tyres failed to pay dividends.

British GP Result: Top 10

1) Lando Norris, McLaren

2) Oscar Piastri, McLaren

3) Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

4) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

5) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

6) Pierre Gasly, Alpine

7) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

8) Alex Albon, Williams

9) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

10) George Russell, Mercedes

How penalty cost Piastri win as Norris cashes in to maintain momentum

The gripping race's controversial and victory-changing moment came on lap 21.

After a period of intensifying rain had brought out the Safety Car twice in quick succession - the second time when an unsighted Isack Hadjar crashed after slamming into the back of Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes - Piastri was preparing for the restart as he led Verstappen and the rest of the pack down the Hangar Straight.

However, as he slowed down to build a gap to the Safety Car, Verstappen had to take evasive action to the McLaren's right and briefly overshot the race leader. Stewards placed the incident under investigation and soon ruled that Piastri had broken the rule which states that there must be "no erratic braking nor any other manoeuvre which is likely to endanger other drivers".

"What [Piastri] did was clearly a breach of that article," read the later stewards' report.

Verstappen soon spun within two corners, plummeting down the order.

As the race resumed, and his penalty to be served at his next pit stop was confirmed, an annoyed Piastri continued to complain on the team radio, and McLaren directly to the FIA, argued against the penalty.

Piastri led Norris by around three seconds all the way up to 44, when he made his pit stop to switch to dry tyres - with his 10-second penalty served in the McLaren pit box first before the tyre change could take place. Norris duly inherited the lead and then kept it once he made his penalty-free pit stop on the next lap.

While Piastri briefly threatened to chase his team-mate back down as he started to close down his new deficit, the Australian suggested to the McLaren pit wall that they consider swapping the order of the cars if they agreed with him that his sanction had been unwarranted.

No such swap took place and Norris saw out the final laps to win by almost seven seconds. As the Briton's celebrations began in earnest in parc ferme, Piastri kept his counsel on his penalty but made clear he remained unimpressed at the penalty.

"I'm not going to say much. I'll get myself in trouble," said Piastri. "Well done to Nico. I think that's the highlight of the day.

"Apparently you can't brake behind the Safety Car any more. I did it for five laps before that.

"I'm not going to say much because I'll get myself in trouble. I still like Silverstone, even if I don't like it today..."