5 things we learned from British Grand Prix

We offer our thoughts following each race weekend this year. Here are our 5 takeaways after the British Grand Prix.

Maybe Piastri isn't as ice cold as believed

It was all going right for Oscar Piastri, who had a commanding 13-second lead as heavy rain poured down over the circuit on Lap 14. But all his work was wiped out in an instant as a safety car was called. Then, his net race lead was washed away due to a 10-second penalty for erratic driving before the safety car restart. The telemetry showed Piastri dropped his speed from 218 km/h to 52 km/h between Turn 14 and 15, which caused Max Verstappen to momentarily overtake him.

Lando Norris eventually took the lead and race win as Piastri served his penalty. The Australian voiced his opinion that perhaps the McLarens should swap positions due to the team's belief his penalty was unjustified. He then had an off-track excursion and repeatedly mentioned after the grand prix that he was not happy, but was better off keeping his comments to himself.

Whether he believes the call was correct or not, Piastri making a critical mistake and then being so visibly flustered by it was an unusual sight. Perhaps it works in his favor that the focus will be on his penalty and not the fact that he has now won only one of the last six races, leaving Norris only eight points behind him in the championship.

Sauber launches Hulkenberg into stardom

Nico Hulkenberg finally got his day on the podium and will no longer be the subject of internet memes or obscure F1 trivia.

While the 37-year-old undoubtedly possessed the talent to drive a race car (check out his 2012 Brazil drive or 2015 LeMans victory), a podium evaded him for 238 races. Who would have thought that a team like Sauber, which finished last in the constructors' last year, would be the one to aid his long search for silverware?

Though Hulkenberg will soak up the majority of the headlines - and deservedly so - don't forget to notice Sauber's progress since its floor upgrade package in Spain. The recruitment of team principal Jonathan Wheatley can't be minimized. In a chaotic race full of changing conditions, the former Red Bull pit-stop guru made all the right calls and put Sauber in position for the team's first podium since 2012.

Norris might have turned a corner

Things can change in an instant in F1. Just ask Norris, who many had counted out for the championship after a crash in Canada set him 22 points behind his teammate. Two races later, he's looking like an inevitable force after clawing back 14 points on Piastri.

Execution has long been Norris' biggest flaw, and yet since his Montreal blunder, it's been his biggest asset. In a race where his main championship rival cost himself the victory with a self-inflicted penalty, and his previous main rival Verstappen took himself out with a spin, Norris managed to keep it clean and take the checkered flag. It wasn't the sexiest win, but the drivers' championship is not measured in style points. Over the last two race weekends, no one has been better than Norris in that aspect, even if it is just a competition between himself and the other McLaren garage.

Verstappen at the mercy of his RB21

Verstappen had a brilliant Saturday as he put together another lap to remember to qualify on pole. A major contributor to his excellence boiled down to Red Bull's decision to opt for a low downforce rear wing - not typical for Silverstone, but a choice that gave the reigning world champion better balance and feel at the front end. Unfortunately, that lack of downforce then left him hopeless of a quality result Sunday as the rain chucked down.

It was a gamble, one that Red Bull and Verstappen could afford to take with him realistically out of championship contention. Yet it also showed the reality of the situation at Red Bull. The once-dominant team is incapable of giving Verstappen, who appeared to be operating a drift car on the wet track, the machinery capable of the top step unless there's another variable involved such as low tire degradation (Imola) or high overtaking difficulty (Suzuka). The RB21 is a compromised and sometimes ugly beast. While Verstappen can still produce his distinct magic over one lap, no mortal can be expected to replicate the same results over a 50-lap grand prix.

Hamilton loses podium streak but continues great form

For the first time since 2013, a race has come and gone at Silverstone without Lewis Hamilton on the podium. It might seem strange to acknowledge the seven-time world champion in a positive light considering the end of his illustrious streak, but Hamilton's quietly been producing his best performances of the season lately.

While the podium was just out of his reach, his fourth-place finish marked his sixth straight top-six result, marking the first time he's done that since the stretch of races between Montreal and Spa last season. He's also qualified inside the top five in five consecutive races, his best run in that regard since Barcelona to Spa in 2024. More importantly, he's outqualified Charles Leclerc in three of the last four races.

It's easy to be disappointed by not seeing the British legend on the podium at his stomping grounds, but Hamilton is rounding into his best form since joining Ferrari. Perhaps if the Scuderia can solve a few issues of its own, there could be some vintage Hamilton magic left for F1.

What's next?

There's only two more races before F1 goes on its summer break.

After taking the next weekend off, things pick back up at Spa for the Belgian GP on July 27 at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Hamilton received the race win last season after George Russell was disqualified for an underweight car. Verstappen claimed the previous three wins at the famous circuit.