British F1 Grand Prix 2024 Results: Lewis Hamilton Tops Max ...

Following last week's drama-filled race in Austria, the British Grand Prix offered a thrilling finish with Lewis Hamilton holding off runner-up Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in third place to earn his first victory since 2021.

The weather caused some problems early in the race, as rain was falling in Northamptonshire. There may have been some natural forces at work trying to help the Mercedes team because the sun came out and skies turned blue not long before Hamilton passed Norris for the lead on lap 40.

Norris was coming out of a pit stop when Hamilton was able to slide in front of him for the lead. They remained in the top two spots until the 48th lap when Verstappen got around him on the outside.

Hamilton was more than three seconds ahead of Verstappen at that point. He was able to hold onto that advantage for the final four laps to end his 50-race winless drought. His last victory prior to Sunday was at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Dec. 5, 2021.

The victory by Hamilton also saved what initially had been a rough day for the Mercedes team. George Russell, who started the race from the pole position, had to retire on the 34th lap due to a suspected water system issue with his car.

Following Russell's departure, Hamilton was able to give the crowd in England a memorable moment to celebrate. He had been flirting with a win recently, finishing in the top four in each of the past three races.

The victory for Hamilton was a historic one that he got to celebrate with his family, as it gave him the most wins on a single track by any F1 driver.

Verstappen was able to rebound with a second-place finish after coming in fifth last week. It's a testament to how dominant he has been that this is the first time in two years he has gone at least two straight races without a victory.

It previously happened in July 2022 when he finished seventh at the British Grand Prix and second at the Austrian Grand Prix. Verstappen followed that up by winning the next five races.

Norris had another frustrating finish to a race. He took the lead for the first time on lap 20 and was in control most of the rest of the way, but his decision to go into the pit after lap 39 for soft tires to replace the slick ones when Hamilton and Verstappen replaced their tires on lap 38 may have cost him a win.

The 24-year-old was coming off a last-place showing in Austria when he blew a tire following a collision with Verstappen. He has finished in the top four in five of the past six races since winning at Miami on May 5.

Verstappen maintains a commanding lead in the overall F1 standings with 255 points. Norris is in second with 171, followed by Charles Leclerc (150), Carlos Sainz (145) and Oscar Piastri (124) rounding out the top five.