Formula One Gradebook: British Grand Prix
- Elaina Russell
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Written by Elaina Russell
It was a Silverstone stunner–chaotic weather, bold strategy, and a crowd that erupted as one of their own stood tallest. McLaren claimed yet another 1-2 finish in front of a soaked but ecstatic British crowd, but the podium wasn’t short on surprises. Nico Hülkenberg finally secured his first F1 podium after 239 races, while the midfield saw it all: heartbreak, heroics, and high drama.
Here’s how all 20 drivers performed on race day:
McLaren
No. 4 - Lando Norris - A+
Norris delivered a flawless drive in front of a passionate home crowd to take his maiden British Grand Prix victory. Managing intense conditions with composure, he soaked up the atmosphere in a moment he’d spent his entire life chasing.
“The last few laps I was just looking into the crowd, trying to take it all in and enjoy the moment because it might never happen again.”
Norris left with 25 points and a LEGO trophy. A weekend he will not soon forget.
No. 81 - Oscar Piastri - A-
Piastri was stunning all weekend: narrowly missing pole, taking the lead from Verstappen on lap eight, and controlling the pace through heavy rain. A controversial 10-second penalty for erratic braking behind the Safety Car dropped him from the top step. The result stings, but Piastri’s form was undeniable all weekend.
“I’m not going to say too much–I’ll just get myself in trouble.”
Second place keeps him in the championship lead, though only by an eight point margin.
Ferrari
No. 44 - Lewis Hamilton - A-
In his first British GP as a Ferrari driver, Hamilton narrowly missed out on the podium—ending a legendary 12-year streak at Silverstone. Still, it was a composed and clean race that showed maturity and control.
“We will keep fighting, together.”
No. 16 - Charles Leclerc - C-
A “most difficult race” by Leclerc’s own admission. From the moment the lights went out, he was left battling a setup that seemed to make the car undriveable, skating across the track as if on ice. Whether it was setup experimentation or something deeper, it was a non-competitive outing from the Monegasque in every sense.
“I really struggle to believe that set-up makes such a difference.”
From sixth on the grid to 14th at the flag—alarm bells at Ferrari.
Mercedes
No. 63 - George Russell - C
Russell rolled the dice on strategy, pitting early for slicks. A poorly timed Virtual Safety Car and hard tyre gamble unraveled the effort.
“Everything just went wrong at every single point.”
No. 12 - Kimi Antonelli - C-
Antonelli was a victim of spray and circumstance. Taken out by fellow rookie Isack Hadjar after the Safety Car pulled in, he described himself as “just a passenger.”
Red Bull Racing
No. 1 - Max Verstappen - B
Verstappen started on pole, but once Piastri passed him he never recovered. A spin at the restart sealed his fate, and even in clean air, he seemed uncomfortable in the car.
“Even after that spin I had no pace.”
No. 22 - Yuki Tsunoda - D
Penalty for spinning Bearman, no pace in the wet, and even Tsunoda seemed bewildered by how much grip he lacked. A disappointing day for a driver who often thrives in changeable conditions.
“I’m a bit lost.”
Williams
No. 23 - Alexander Albon - A-
Finally back in the points after three straight retirements. Albon thrived on strategy late in the race, making confident passes and salvaging a weekend that initially looked a bit lost.
“A lot of fun.”
A much-needed result for driver and team.
No. 55 - Carlos Sainz - C+
Clipped by Leclerc and forced out of contention, Sainz never recovered enough to challenge for points. After a retirement in Austria, Sainz seems to be going through a bit of a rough patch with the FW47.
“Never had such a run of so many bad things happening.”
Kick Sauber
No. 27 - Nico Hülkenberg - A+
The paddock erupted for Nico Hülkenberg, who surged from 19th on the grid claim his maiden F1 podium with a third place finish. In brutal conditions, he stayed cool, kept it clean, and passed cars with conviction. After 15 years and 239 starts, the German finally found himself stepping onto the podium.
“It’s pretty surreal, to be honest.”
No. 5 - Gabriel Bortoleto - C
Spun off after switching to slicks too early. It was a gamble that didn’t pay off, but in hindsight, Bortoleto wasn’t the only one misjudging the forecast. Still, his grace in defeat and praise for teammate Hülkenberg showed maturity beyond his years.
“Definitely the best team mate I ever had in many senses, [as a] person, as a driver and everything, and I think he deserves it.”
Racing Bulls
No. 6 - Isack Hadjar - D
Crucial misjudgment saw Hadjar rear-ending Kimi Antonelli just as the safety car peeled off. The crash ended both rookies’ races, and for the Racing Bulls rookie, the race ended before it really began.
No. 30 - Liam Lawson - C-
After a career-best in Austria, Lawson’s British GP was over by Turn 1 after colliding with Esteban Ocon in a racing incident. It was a brutal reset, though the New Zealander can be expected to come back strong at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix.
Aston Martin
No. 18 - Lance Stroll - B+
The wet seems to always bring out the best in Stroll, and this was no exception. Tyre degradation saw him drop late, but P7 was a strong result from P17.
“A good result.”
No. 14 - Fernando Alonso - B-
Started seventh, finished ninth, and admitted Aston Martin got the strategy completely wrong. The Spaniard was fighting in the top six early on but lost track position as the race unfolded.
“We got it wrong today.”
Haas
No. 87 - Oliver Bearman - B
It was an eventful, chaotic, and at times very unlucky stint for the Haas rookie. Tipped into a spin with Tsunoda, pitted early, tangled with his teammate late, and still almost scored a point. Eleventh from 18th was a strong showing.
“The car was fast. It’s just disappointing to end like that.”
No. 31 - Esteban Ocon - C
Survived lap-one chaos, made solid calls, but ended up 13th after colliding with Bearman late on. A mixed bag on a day that offered much more.
“We both deserved more today.”
Alpine
No. 10 - Pierre Gasly - A
Gasly was clearly thrilled after achieving Alpine’s best result of the season. The Frenchman was superb in the chaos–taking risks where they counted and battling wheel-to-wheel with world champions.
“It just felt a bit unreal at times.”
No. 43 - Franco Colapinto - D
After failing to start due to mechanical issues, Colapinto was left without a chance to prove himself. With rumours swirling around Alpine’s second seat, the missed chance to show his race craft under pressure only heightens the tension around his future.
As it Stands:
With Silverstone now in the rearview, momentum is shifting rapidly at the top of the table. Norris has slashed Piastri's championship lead to just eight points, while Verstappen's spin dropped him further back in the title hunt. Hülkenberg’s podium haul vaulted Sauber closer to the midfield pack, while Alpine, Haas, and Racing Bulls continue to trade blows.
Here's how the Drivers’ Championship stands heading into the Belgian Grand Prix:
2025 Driver Standings post-British Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri - 234
Lando Norris - 226
Max Verstappen - 165
George Russell - 147
Charles Leclerc - 119
Lewis Hamilton - 103
Kimi Antonelli - 63
Alexander Albon - 46
Nico Hülkenberg - 37
Esteban Ocon - 23
Isack Hadjar - 21
Lance Stroll - 20
Pierre Gasly - 19
Fernando Alonso - 16
Carlos Sainz - 13
Liam Lawson - 12
Yuki Tsunoda - 10
Oliver Bearman - 6
Gabriel Bortoleto - 4
Franco Colapinto - 0
Jack Doohan - 0
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