The opening laps of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone were anything but smooth.
In fact, they were soaked in chaos.
With the skies threatening from the very beginning, the race quickly turned into a high-speed scramble for survival—and several drivers didn’t make it past the early stages.
Trouble From the First Lap
Before fans could even settle into their seats, the drama had already begun.
Rain clouds loomed large over the iconic Silverstone circuit, and by the time the lights went out, chaos was brewing.
Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson was the first casualty, returning to the garage on lap one after a messy collision involving Esteban Ocon and a tight squeeze from teammate Yuki Tsunoda.
A Trio of Early Retirements
Not long after Lawson’s exit, Franco Colapinto’s car stalled on track.
Despite starting from the pit lane, his return was cut short as he was called back into the pits.
Then came Gabriel Bortoleto’s dramatic exit.
On slick tyres that simply couldn’t handle the damp surface, his bright lime green Sauber slid helplessly into the gravel, damaging the rear wing in the process.
Within just a handful of laps, three drivers were out—and the race had barely begun.
Virtual Safety Car Steps In
Race control had no choice but to call the virtual safety car, not once but twice.
First, it was to manage the aftermath of the Lawson-Ocon incident, and shortly after, again for Bortoleto’s stricken Sauber.
With rain always looming, strategy became a game of roulette—tyres were being changed at a frantic pace in anticipation of heavier showers.
Tyre Gambles and Pit Lane Drama
Drivers made big calls early on to try and get the edge.
Charles Leclerc and George Russell dove into the pits right after the formation lap to switch to hard tyres.
Isack Hadjar and Bortoleto chose mediums instead, hoping for the right balance.
But none of it mattered when the rain returned with a vengeance by lap 13, catching teams off guard and sending the race into full-blown mayhem.
Piastri and Norris Make Their Moves
Despite the chaos, Oscar Piastri held his nerve and clung tightly to Max Verstappen’s rear wing, eventually overtaking the reigning champion to take the lead.
Lando Norris followed suit shortly after when Verstappen went wide, giving McLaren fans a reason to cheer.
But Verstappen wasn’t done just yet—he clawed his way back to second place following a slower pit stop for Norris.
Heavy Rain Brings Out the Safety Car
Just as the action at the front was heating up, the heavens opened again.
A torrential downpour drenched the circuit, forcing the full Safety Car onto the track.
Piastri’s comfortable lead vanished as the pack bunched up behind him.
Then came one of the more dramatic sights of the race—Charles Leclerc lost control after hitting a deep puddle, sailing straight across the grass at Turn 12.
Thankfully, he avoided damage, but it was a stark reminder of just how treacherous the track had become.
Visibility Woes and More to Come
As if things weren’t difficult enough, Leclerc reported water had entered his helmet visor, leaving him struggling to see.
And with the rain continuing to fall and the race far from over, the rest of the afternoon at Silverstone promised more drama.