Dutchman’s resilience shines despite early setback in rain-affected British Grand Prix

Max Verstappen showcased his championship mettle on Sunday at Silverstone, fighting back from an early spin to secure fifth place in a dramatic, rain-soaked British Grand Prix that saw Lando Norris claim victory and Oscar Piastri extend his 2025 Formula One World Championship lead.

Pole position turns to heartbreak

The reigning four-time champion started the race from pole position, perfectly positioned to challenge for his first victory of what has been a difficult 2025 campaign. However, the treacherous wet conditions at Silverstone would quickly turn Verstappen’s afternoon into a damage-limitation exercise.

At a crucial restart in the heavy rain, Verstappen lost control of his Oracle Red Bull Racing machine, spinning and tumbling down the order. The moment epitomized Red Bull’s struggles this season, with the team failing to capitalize on what should have been a golden opportunity.

“Today wasn’t great. We didn’t think it was going to be so wet today; the weather forecast overnight changed, and it was not in our favor, so it was really difficult with the rear wing that we had today. Every time we were low on downforce and couldn’t balance it out in the high and low speeds, with the tools that we had. Of course, I had the spin, and we lost a lot of positions at the restart. I don’t really know what happened as I tried to go on the throttle, but we recovered it as much as we could to get to P5. Even after that happened, I continued, and the car had no pace, which wasn’t great. From a positive side, we got our strategy right and did the right thing with the pit stop and staying on the inters. All the calls were correct, but the inters just lacked a bit of pace. That is racing, though; we will never be happy with fifth, but we move on to the next race. The race wasn’t that enjoyable for me, but it was nice to see Nico get his first podium, and I’m sure he will be celebrating tonight. Spa is next and my favorite on the calendar, so hopefully we will go a bit better there.” –MAX VERSTAPPEN – 5th

Fighting spirit delivers crucial points

Despite the early setback, Verstappen demonstrated exactly why he’s a four-time world champion. As conditions improved and the track began to dry, the Dutchman methodically worked his way back through the field, showcasing the racecraft and determination that has defined his career.

His recovery drive to fifth place salvaged valuable championship points on a day when everything seemed to go wrong for the Milton Keynes-based team.

Red Bull’s weekend of mixed fortune

Oracle Red Bull Racing’s struggles extended beyond Verstappen’s early spin. Teammate Yuki Tsunoda endured a difficult afternoon, finishing a disappointing 15th place and failing to capitalize on the chaotic conditions that often provide opportunities for points.

“It was not easy out there at all today, but somehow it was not really that messy a race for myself. I just struggled with the pace a lot, and even in the dry, I didn’t have a great pace. The rain and the conditions were the main issue today, and then I had massive deg on the tyres, as usual. The incident with Ollie was really tricky; the touch itself was very light, and in those conditions, it can have massive consequences. I found him to say sorry immediately after the race. In terms of short runs, I have a couple of positives to take away from this weekend, but on the long runs, somehow, I just deg like crazy. I had good confidence in the rain, so we need to look into why I couldn’t find the pace. The downforce may have contributed, but it’s much more than that; we were still slower than we should have been. The car should be different for Belgium, and we will go away and work hard in the time we have off until then.”– YUKI TSUNODA – 15th

The sister Visa Cash App Racing Bulls team faced even greater heartbreak, with both drivers failing to see the checkered flag. Liam Lawson’s race ended prematurely when he was taken out from behind by Esteban Ocon, while Isack Hadjar crashed in the treacherous conditions that claimed several victims throughout the afternoon.

“Racing in these tough conditions means that it’s always a little bit of a gamble out there. At the start of the race, I was following Charles, and it seemed we had a good pace; we were on the same strategy, but it wasn’t the right one. During the laps we spent behind the Safety Car, I couldn’t see much due to the heavy rain, and the tyre temperature dropped. After the restart, I wish I could have maybe had a bit more margin, but when I saw the red light of the back of Kimi’s car, it was already too late, as there was just zero visibility. Thankfully, I’m okay. Now we reset, and I’m already looking forward to racing in Spa in a couple of weeks.”– ISACK HADJAR – DNF

“Unfortunately, our race ended early due to a racing incident. We made the right call on tyres and had a strong start, so it’s a shame we couldn’t show the car’s full potential. I think we had a really good car today, especially suited to the mixed conditions. It was a race full of opportunity, and we missed out on some big points. Looking ahead to Spa in a few weeks, we’re aiming for another weekend in the points, it’ll be another special one in an F1 car.”– LIAM LAWSON – DNF

“To start with, the most important thing, both Liam and Isack are okay, they escaped the accidents they had unhurt. There is never a good day to lose both cars in crashes, but it is what it is; today was not a good day for that. What matters is that we have a strong car, strong drivers, and we were fast again this weekend. However, we do leave here with 0 points, and we will be working very hard to improve on the few things that have derailed our weekend. We will be regrouping, preparing for Spa, and turning up, trying to use the pace of the car that we are confident we have. It might not have been the result we wanted to leave Silverstone with, but the hard work and team spirit in both Faenza and Milton Keynes is very high, and I’d like to thank everyone for pushing to unlock the next steps together.”– LAURENT MEKIES – Team Principal

Norris dominates as Piastri extends lead

While Verstappen battled back through the field, Lando Norris delivered a masterclass in wet-weather driving to claim victory at his home Grand Prix. The McLaren driver’s triumph was made even sweeter by the passionate Silverstone crowd, who witnessed one of the most dramatic races of the 2025 season.

More significantly for the championship battle, Oscar Piastri’s strong finish extended his lead at the top of the drivers’ standings. The Australian’s consistent performances throughout 2025 have established him as the man to beat, with Verstappen’s early-season struggles leaving him with significant ground to make up.

Championship implications

Verstappen’s fifth-place finish, while a solid recovery, highlights the challenges facing Red Bull in their bid to maintain their recent dominance. The team’s inability to extract maximum performance from their package has left them vulnerable to McLaren’s resurgence and Piastri’s championship charge.

With the season approaching its midpoint, every point becomes crucial in what promises to be one of the most competitive title fights in recent memory.

2025 DRIVER’S STANDINGS

Looking ahead

The British Grand Prix result serves as both a warning and a reminder for Red Bull. While Verstappen’s fighting spirit remains undiminished, the team must address its fundamental performance issues if they hope to mount a serious championship challenge.

“Well, the race was exciting, it always is in those conditions. For us, we took a bit of a gamble with the weather, expecting a dry race, and obviously, when you have very low downforce in those conditions, it is next to impossible. I think Max did really well; he stuck with it, and he got unlucky at the restart. I’m not sure what happened with Oscar, but it put Max on the wrong part of the track, and then he had the spin, which put him down in the order. Once the circuit started to dry up, he managed to pick his way through the pack, and it was a good recovery to P5. For Yuki, again, it was a tough race. He couldn’t get the pace, and then the penalty, once again, left him in a hole that was unrecoverable. Not the result we were looking for, but well done today to Nico Hulkenberg for finally making it onto the podium.”– CHRISTIAN HORNER – Team Principal & CEO

For Verstappen, the weekend demonstrated that even when everything goes wrong, his ability to salvage points from difficult situations remains unmatched. However, with Piastri setting the pace and McLaren finding their rhythm, the Dutchman knows he cannot afford many more setbacks.

Flash News: Verstappen’s Silverstone recovery drive showcases championship mentality despite Red Bull’s ongoing struggles in the 2025 season.