CHAOS at Silverstone as Red Bull F1 star one of THREE drivers out of British GP

Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson, Alex Albon, Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Williams, Imola, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

British Grand Prix

CHAOS at Silverstone as Red Bull star one of THREE drivers out of British GP

The British Grand Prix got off to a thrilling start

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 6 July 2025 16:23 Updated: 16:50

Red Bull F1 junior star Liam Lawson crashed out of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on the first lap, amid tyre chaos for several drivers.

While the track was dry in some areas, prompting Charles Leclerc and George Russell to pit before the start of the race, it was still wet in others for the start of the race.

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That led to a thrilling start, but Lawson and Esteban Ocon came together, prompting the calling of an early virtual safety car, and Lawson had to retire his Racing Bulls car on lap one.

Elsewhere, Franco Colapinto failed to start the race after he was meant to start from the pit lane, and he was also out of the British GP after just one lap.

Gabriel Bortoleto became the third driver to exit the race in the early stages after he was told to retire the car thanks to a low-speed trip into the gravel as he lost grip getting back on the throttle.

The chaotic start meant that there were just 17 racers left in the race on lap five, and there had already been two virtual safety car periods.

Silverstone weather causing chaos

F1 is marking its 75th anniversary this year, and the track that started it all is still providing thrills and spills in 2025.

The unpredictable weather has often been a feature at Silverstone, despite normally taking place in the height of the British summer.

Rain and quick drying conditions caused a brilliant start to this year's British GP, but the three retired drivers will be ruing the so-called British summer.

Lawson, Colapinto and Bortoleto were all racing in their first British GP as F1 drivers, but it did not last more than three laps for any of them.

Red Bull Charles Leclerc George Russell Liam Lawson Silverstone British Grand Prix