(Motorsports news) In the beginning, Lando Norris was able to blast past polesitter Max Verstappen as the Red Bull failed to accelerate despite the Dutchman reacting well enough, which meant Piastri also had a look to the inside of the first corner starting in third. 

There, Max Verstappen went the long way around to cement second and he then chased Norris down the Wellington straight, where the leader successfully weaved to disrupt the two to the pack behind.

Lando Norris was able to initially keep Max Verstappen at inlet but on lap five of 52 Verstappen used the influential DRS effect on the Red Bull to shoot along the Wellington straight and then dive back into the lead at Brooklands.

Mclaren reported Norris that Piastri would hold station in third at this stage, with the top three already well clear of Charles Leclerc and George Russell combating at the head of the pack rearwards.

Lando Norris dwelled with Max Verstappen before finally falling out of DRS range, where the teams were split advising their drivers over whether the clouds that had built up over Silverstone along the start would start to deposit rain on proceedings.

Max Verstappen slowly pulled clear of Lando Norris, their times getting quicker through the 1m33s bracket initially before reaching the mid-1m32s range only Piastri in third could join them in.

The drivers did convey light drizzle through the next phase before attention shifted to the intended single stops for the frontrunners, who had all started on the mediums bar, George Russell on the softs that held better for him on the FP day was expected over a race stint as he persisted to chase Charles Leclerc closely at this stage.

Fernando Alonso ended seventh ahead of Alex Albon a Williams driver, who disregarded the late attentions of Charles Leclerc on the final lap, the Ferrari driver having been jinxed the safety car period ruined his early-stop strategy but allowed him to stop a second time under the disruption and go back to the mediums from the hards.

Leclerc and Albon followed Sergio Perez by Carlos Sainz in a gripping combat post-safety car. Carlos Sainz eventually fell to 10th, which he held ahead of Lance Stroll as Sainz’s path to the final point was eased by the second Aston colliding with Pierre Gasly in the Ferrari’s wake.

Pierre Gasly, who had been fighting Alonso before the safety car stops, eventually withdrew as a result of the damage sustained in the crash with Stroll through the second part of Club. Lance Stroll was given a penalty for not giving space to another drive in the turn in the race that declined him to 14th in the final classification, which included Esteban Ocon being the race’s other retirement with a hydraulic issue aboard his Alpine.

It also did not rain following the early drizzle, while track limits were again a late topic as Norris and Russell were among those to be given final warning black-and-white flag messages for going too wide – particularly at Copse and Stowe.

Formula 1 British GP Standings: 

1) Max Verstappen 

2) Lando Norris

3) Lewis Hamilton

4) Oscar Piastri

5) Geoge Russell 

6) Sergio Perez

7) Fernando Alonso

8) Alex Albon

9) Charles Leclerc

10) Carlos Sainz Jr.

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