It has earnt a new five-year deal this week to continue on in Formula One and this weekend; the historic Silverstone circuit will host the 70th running of the British Grand Prix. Join The Roar for live updates and coverage from 11pm (AEST).
Dubbed a driver’s favourite by many and none more so than five-time race winner Lewis Hamilton, the 5.8km circuit is a balanced blend of thrilling high-speed corners, long straights and plenty of overtaking opportunities.
The 52-lap grand prix always provides great entertainment, which was evident during last year’s race, where an epic wheel-to-wheel battle between the Mercedes and Ferrari drivers ensued.
With it being a home race for most of the teams and three drivers on the grid in 2019, the British Grand Prix is always a special race on the calendar – as well as the fan presence trackside.
Taking a first pole position at Silverstone, was Valtteri Bottas who headed the front-row ahead of his Mercedes teammate in Hamilton. Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari will line up third, sharing the second row with Austrian race winner in Max Verstappen.
With Mercedes AMG in a stronger position strategically, both the Silver Arrows will start the race on the medium tyre whilst there will be some unpredictability around Leclerc and the Red Bulls starting on the faster tyre.
Reigning race winner Sebastian Vettel again has his work cut out for him from sixth on the grid, behind the Red Bull of Pierre Gasly.
Both Renaults also qualified inside the top ten, headed by Daniel Ricciardo in seventh – who is ahead of McLaren’s form driver in Lando Norris who starts his maiden home grand prix from eighth on the grid.
With both the Alfa Romeo cars missing out on top then berths, Alexander Albon snuck inside the top ten positioned in ninth for Toro Rosso.
Whilst Mercedes struggled in Austria due to cooling, the same issue won’t arise at Silverstone due to the significantly cooler conditions.
Can Hamilton from second make history on home soil and become the most winningest driver at Silverstone, or will his rivals deny the reigning world champion for a second consecutive year?
Tune in from 11pm (AEST) for live blog updates and coverage of another chapter in Formula One’s history of the British Grand Prix.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
It doesn't look like there is any stopping the imperious form of Lewis Hamilton in 2019. Will his dominance continue next time out when it is Mercedes' home race in Germany? Until the German Grand Prix in two week's time, thank you for tuning in for this F1 live blog and good night!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
-------- DRIVER'S -------- 223 - Lewis Hamilton 184 - Valtteri Bottas 136 - Max Verstappen 123 - Sebastian Vettel 120 - Charles Leclerc 55 -- Pierre Gasly 38 -- Carlos Sainz 25 -- Kimi Räikkönen 22 -- Lando Norris 22 -- Daniel Ricciardo 17 -- Nico Hulkenberg 14 -- Kevin Magnussen 13 -- Sergio Perez 12 -- Daniil Kvyat 7 --- Alexander Albon 6 --- Lance Stroll 2 --- Romain Grosjean 1 --- Antonio Giovinazzi 0 --- George Russell 0 --- Robert Kubica
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
----- CONSTRUCTOR'S ----- 407 - Mercedes AMG 243 - Scuderia Ferrari 191 - Aston Martin Red Bull Racing 60 -- McLaren Renault 39 -- Renault 26 -- Alfa Romeo Racing 19 -- Racing Point Mercedes 19 -- Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda 16 -- Haas Ferrari 0 --- Williams Mercedes
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RACE REPORT A fortuitous Safety Car intervention has given Lewis Hamilton the opportunity to win his sixth British Grand Prix, as the Briton took command of the race from teammate Valtteri Bottas to win on home soil. Bottas led away from pole position at the start, with Hamilton challenging immediately for the lead. The Finn was able to keep the reigning world champion at bay in the first stint – before pitting on Lap 17 for another set of mediums. With a two-stop strategy in place for Bottas, the focus was on what Hamilton’s side of the garage would do and their decision was made thanks to Antonio Giovinazzi beaching his Alfa Romeo – triggering a Safety Car and giving the Briton a free pit-stop. From there, Hamilton led the race unchallenged from Bottas – with the Finn having to make another stop towards the end of the race, to secure his second position and set the fastest lap – which then Hamilton on the last lap took away from his teammate. There was excitement behind the Silver Arrows, with both Ferraris and Red Bulls squabbling away for positions in the top five. This was headlined by an epic wheel-to-wheel duel between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc – picking up from where their battle in Austria left off. Leclerc was also a victim of the ill-timed Safety Car, having lost out to the Red Bulls strategically. The Ferrari driver then had to scrap with the sister Red Bull of Pierre Gasly, who ended up a season best fourth – as Leclerc scored a podium, after Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen crashed ahead. The Dutchman was faster than Vettel and was looking to pass for the podium on Lap 37 and indeed he was past at Stowe corner. That was before Vettel rear-ended the Red Bull into the next corner – with the Ferrari coming off worse with front-wing damage and a 10-second penalty. In the midfield, Carlos Sainz – after benefitting from the Safety Car and only completing a single stop – held off a rampant Daniel Ricciardo for sixth, whilst his teammate Lando Norris finished outside the points as a result of having to make another stop after the Safety Car, during which his rivals had stopped in. Kimi Räikkönen and Nico Hulkenberg, like Sainz ended up using successful one-stop strategies to score points. Hulkenberg scraped through to tenth, after Alexander Albon’s medium tyres faded at the end of the race and saw him drop to twelfth. Another horror race for Haas saw both drivers make contact with each other on the opening lap and then subsequently retire with damage on the cars. A career best result for George Russell in fourteenth was the highlight for Williams in their home grand prix and the rookie’s first on home soil. The reigning F2 champion finished ahead of the damaged and penalised Vettel.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Especially after Bottas' effort to keep Hamilton at bay in the first stint, the Safety Car pit-stop for Lewis did seem very cheap. But oh well, that kind of sums up his luck this season so far.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
STANDBY FOR RACE REPORT AND UPDATED STANDINGS
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
POST-RACE INTERVIEWS - Hosted by Jenson Button HAMILTON - "I can't tell you how proud I am..." "I'm forever grateful to everyone." "I couldn't have done it without my team." BOTTAS - "Congrats to Lewis." "He got me there [Lewis' SC pit-stop]." "I'll keep fighting, it's not over yet." LECLERC - "Probably the race I enjoyed the most in my career." "Very happy to finish third and for the battle we had on track."
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RESULTS FROM THE 52-LAP BRITISH GRAND PRIX 1 L. Hamilton 2 V. Bottas 3 C. Leclerc 4 P. Gasly 5 M. Verstappen 6 C. Sainz 7 D. Ricciardo 8 K. Räikkönen 9 D. Kvyat 10 N. Hulkenberg 11 L. Norris 12 A. Albon 13 L. Stroll 14 G. Russell 15 S. Vettel* 16 R. Kubica 17 S. Perez RET A. Giovinazzi RET R. Grosjean RET K. Magnussen
Damo
Guest
Pity the SC decided today's winner. But as usual these days it's the midfield race that's worth watching.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX! And he takes the fastest lap on the final lap too, to make it a perfect result and a record sixth win at home. A luckless race for Valtteri Bottas sees him home in second and without a fastest lap also. Charles Leclerc picks up another podium in third for Ferrari.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 52/52: FINAL LAP
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 51/52: Bottas the holder of the fastest lap at the moment, which will give him that extra championship point at the end of the race.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 50/52: Ricciardo still behind Sainz as the laps tick down.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 49/52: Vettel ahead of just Perez in P16 by 18 seconds and even with that 10-second penalty, he should stay ahead of the Racing Point.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 48/52: 5 LAPS TO GO And what is going on at Mercedes and with Hamilton? The pit crew were out in the lane again and then go back into the garage. Bottas flying now on his soft tyres, but still has a 21 second deficit to his teammate in the lead.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 47/52: Ricciardo having a look down the inside of Sainz at Stowe, but it's not to be had on this occasion.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 46/52: Bottas pits this time round and it'll be soft tyre going onto his Mercedes. Hamilton now will have to stay out for the rest of the race, as that opportunity for an additional stop isn't there any more.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 45/52: Mercedes just requested Hamilton to come pit, though the Briton elects to stay out. Must just be a stop for security as they have an almighty lead over Leclerc in third at the moment. Bottas still actually has to make a stop.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 44/52: Sainz and Ricciardo stopped at the same time actually and both are on the same tyres. Hulkenberg limping in his Renault now , but he seems to be fine.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 43/52: 10 LAPS TO GO 10-second time penalty for Vettel, as the stewards rule that he was at fault in the incident with Verstappen. Won't really make much difference though, as Seb is in last and a lap down to the leaders.