2023 British Grand Prix | Seven talking points

1. Red Bull equals McLaren's F1 record

Too much wheelspin off the line left Verstappen with work to do in the early laps as he chased Norris for the lead. But it didn’t take too long for the inevitable to come to pass, the Red Bull’s superiority – especially with DRS – soon rectifying Verstappen’s difficulties getting away. Thereafter, he edged clear before the safety car neutered his advantage. But when the field was once again let loose, Verstappen calmly and smoothly drove to another landmark victory in his incredible season. This one, his sixth in a row, equalled McLaren’s 1988 record of 11 consecutive victories for Red Bull, which remains unbeaten since Abu Dhabi last year. It’s a record the team looks odds-on to beat next time out in Hungary given Verstappen’s deeply impressive form. He’s on another level right now.

2. Norris the Silverstone home hero

But while Verstappen and Red Bull deserve all credit, there was no doubt who was the star of Silverstone this year. The technical upgrade that had lifted McLaren into unlikely contention in Austria came into its own at fast Silverstone, where the team was suddenly a genuine best-of-the-rest behind Red Bull. A brilliant qualifying performance left Norris starting on the front row beside Verstappen and rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri a superb third. But the question was, could they maintain their new-found form in the race?

Both answered that emphatically. Norris got the drop on Verstappen to lead his home race to the delight of a crowd that had shown its love for Lando all weekend. Yes, Verstappen was always going to pass, but it was glorious while it lasted. 

3. The Hamilton battle

Norris and Piastri ran second and third through the heart of the race, keeping Verstappen in sight and without threat from Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in fourth. But the safety car provided a new threat as Hamilton timed his tyre change to perfection to vault into contention.

The Mercedes driver, clearly still loved by the Silverstone crowd, had looked powerless to achieve much more than a solid points-scoring result at a circuit he previously ruled, a pass on Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin his only moment to savour. Now suddenly a cheap pitstop pushed him into podium contention. He was on soft Pirellis versus Norris on the hard compound, and now Hamilton’s race came alive.

Once the safety car peeled in, the Mercedes driver pressed to make the most of his strategic tyre advantage as Norris worked temperature into his white-walled rubber. Hearts were in mouths as Hamilton got a run on the McLaren out of Luffield and looked to dive up the inside at Copse. Would this be a repeat of his controversial collision with Verstappen back in 2021? No. The move wasn’t on, Hamilton backed out and a poised Norris won the day, easing away to secure his hard-earned second place. It had been a fine battle while it lasted and created a lovely feel-good factor as the British crowd cheered two home heroes on a happy podium. It had created another memorable image for our burgeoning bank of Silverstone memories.

4. Hard luck for Piastri at Silverstone

By rights, he should have been third, so Oscar Piastri couldn’t help but admit it stung a little to find himself bumped off the podium by Hamilton. Still, in the context of where McLaren was a few weeks ago, the Australian knew that fourth – his best F1 result so far – was still a fantastic achievement. Piastri drove beautifully all weekend and shadowed Norris with equal poise before the safety car, only for strategy alone to push him down a place.

It had still been a notable performance – although neither McLaren driver will be getting too excited by their remarkable Silverstone showing. The high-speed nature of the circuit clearly suited the new-spec car, but slow-corner speed remains a concern, so the tight Hungaroring might well throw up a different story. McLaren still has work to do to become a contender week in, week out. Although under new team principal Andrea Stella here was at least proof that the team that suffered woeful form at the start of the year now appears to be on the right track.

5. Albon shines for Williams

George Russell ran fifth in the early stages, but could do little about Leclerc despite starting on the soft tyre, in what appeared to be a stalemate. After the safety car shake-up fifth was still where Russell would finish ahead of an unremarkable Sergio Perez, who again qualified badly and struggled to make anything like the best of his Red Bull – in obvious stark contrast to his team-mate. Fernando Alonso hustled as best he could for Aston Martin but seventh was the best he could manage for a team that has lost its competitive edge in comparison to Mercedes and Ferrari – and here at Silverstone, to McLaren too.

But special mention must be made of Alex Albon. The London-born Thai driver drove a super race for Williams. The car has been fast in a straight line all year and like the McLaren appeared well suited to Silverstone. Albon made the most of it and calmly held off Leclerc’s challenge in the final laps to claim decent points for eighth.

6. Ferrari fades again

Second place in Austria for Leclerc represented progress for Ferrari, but it was reduced to a lacklustre bit-part player once again at Silverstone after fading badly. Leclerc, frustrated by his lack of pace relative to the McLarens, stopped early for hard tyres, then felt compelled to come in again for mediums under the safety car (caused by Kevin Magnussen’s expiring Haas).

The double stop dropped Leclerc out of contention and he was left chasing Albon fruitlessly for ninth. But it was even worse for team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr, the British GP winner a year earlier. Sainz too was given the hard tyre but elected not to change during the safety car and toiled to an unsatisfactory 10^th. So both Ferraris scored, but only just. That’s simply not good enough for a team that remains mired in a degree of crisis.

7. Another great day for Silverstone

Final word to the British circuit and crowd. Once again, Silverstone hosted a superb British GP enlivened by the enthusiasm of its wonderful crowd. This was a celebration not only of F1 but of British motorsport, ensuring a glowing feel-good factor that will surely be taken into account when it’s time for renegotiating its grand prix contract which ends with next year’s race. Best of all, fears of protestors invading the track and creating a dreadful storm came to nothing. That was a big relief. As it turned out, nothing would ruin Lando Norris’s race – except for that man Verstappen.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images