Lando Norris took the win at the 2025 British Grand Prix, leading home a McLaren one-two after Oscar Piastri was hit with a 10-second penalty for a safety car restart violation.
It was McLaren’s first Silverstone victory since Lewis Hamilton’s win in 2008. But beyond the result, the team made a change to their car that could have longer-term implications as they look to secure both titles this season.
This year, McLaren are on track to pull off their first F1 drivers’ and constructors’ championship double since 1998. Piastri leads the standings with 234 points, Norris follows closely with 226, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen trails behind at just 165.
The strong finish from both drivers also widened McLaren’s gap in the constructors’ race, now holding a 238-point lead over Ferrari. Another team title this year would give McLaren back-to-back championships for the first time since 1991.
FIA request sees McLaren fit new floor edge at Silverstone
McLaren were untouchable in the wet conditions at Silverstone, and without his penalty, Piastri likely would have taken the win instead of Norris. Alongside their on-track performance, McLaren also arrived with a new floor edge, introduced after a request from the FIA ahead of the weekend.
In an attempt to reduce the risk of grass fires – such as those that occurred in Japan and Austria – all teams were instructed to be ready to replace the titanium skid blocks for the steel ones.
Formula1.it has also suggested that McLaren responded to this request by altering their floor design. The team needed to adjust how they manage airflow around that area because steel skid blocks wear down much faster than titanium ones.
The modifications saw McLaren’s MCL39 move from five trailing edges down to four. Previously, there were two larger elements paired with three smaller ones, but now there’s a smoother progression in height across all four pieces.
How Lewis Hamilton has suffered from Ferrari’s ride height issues
While Norris and Piastri took first and second at Silverstone, they’ll be hoping McLaren can find a way around the need to raise their cars’ ride height if the FIA goes ahead with steel skid blocks. The change could end up costing them valuable lap time.
Ferrari have been forced to adjust ride heights on both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s cars, a factor that contributed to Hamilton’s disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix back in March due to excessive skid block wear.
The team has been working on an upgrade that would allow them to run the SF-25 lower, as the car benefits most when it can maximise ground-effect floor and rear diffuser downforce. However, Ferrari’s main issue is tied to their rear suspension setup.
With both championships within reach, McLaren will be eager not to lose any performance if steel skid blocks become mandatory. They’ll be hoping the floor changes introduced at Silverstone will help offset any potential losses in pace.
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