The Sauber driver, in his 239th Grand Prix, stormed from 19th on the grid to finish third, outpacing Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in a rain-affected and incident-filled race.

Hulkenberg’s achievement ends the longest wait for a maiden podium in F1 history, sparking jubilant celebrations for both the German veteran and the Sauber team.

Norris Wins at Home, Piastri Penalized

At the front, it was a dream day for Lando Norris, who claimed his first British Grand Prix victory for McLaren. Norris capitalized on a pivotal moment when his teammate and championship leader Oscar Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty for erratic braking behind the Safety Car, which forced Max Verstappen to take evasive action.

The penalty dropped Piastri behind Norris after pit stops, handing the Briton the lead and, ultimately, the win.

Norris’s back-to-back victories—having also won in Austria—have dramatically tightened the title race. With Piastri finishing second, the Australian’s championship lead is now just eight points as the season reaches its halfway mark. The McLaren duo’s relentless pace has also left Verstappen 69 points adrift, all but ending the Red Bull driver’s hopes for a fifth consecutive title.

Race Recap: Strategy and Survival in the Wet

The race was defined by unpredictable weather and high-stakes strategy. Early rain and two Safety Car periods shuffled the order, with several front-runners—including Mercedes and Ferrari—gambling unsuccessfully on slick tyres as the track dried.

Hulkenberg’s Sauber, however, made all the right calls, vaulting him into contention as others faltered. He overtook Lance Stroll for third and then held off a late charge from Hamilton, ultimately crossing the line five seconds ahead of the Ferrari driver.

Elsewhere, Pierre Gasly delivered Alpine’s best result of the season in sixth, while Alex Albon (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) rounded out the top ten. George Russell salvaged a point for Mercedes after a wild off-track excursion.

Championship Implications

Nico Hulkenberg’s podium is not just a personal milestone but a huge boost for Sauber, marking their first top-three finish since 2012.

For McLaren, Lando Norris’s home win electrifies the championship fight, cutting Piastri’s lead and making the McLaren intra-team rivalry the season’s headline story. Oscar Piastri’s penalty not only cost him the win but also narrowed his margin at the top, with Norris now firmly in contention as the season heads to Belgium.