GB GP Race Report

There was great enthusiasm for the three Brits in the top three grid places and also for the changeable weather before the race.  Russell came out with platitudes such as: "Teamwork makes the dream work."  And Hamilton spoke about the energy from the crowd.  He brought up England's win at the Euros and he should know how to use the crowd with eight British Grand Prix victories.

Perez decided to start from the pit lane and it appeared that Gasly would too but retired on the first lap.

It was a clean getaway from the grid but Verstappen fought Norris hard to take third place.  Hulkenberg fell back in his Haas; the driver had caused a collision by re-entering the track into Alonso, who moved over and into Albon.  Albon came off the worst, although he would eventually get two points for Williams.

It took sixteen laps but Norris got back past Verstappen, just as the crowd started putting on their rain coats.  Piastri followed suit on the next lap.  There were huge cheers on the next lap, when Hamilton got past Russell for the lead.  The McLarens seemed to be coping with the drizzle better than the Mercedes, as the two leaders followed each other off the track.  Norris was able to overtake Russell from this.  It was an outright overtake with pace from Norris to take the lead from Hamilton; Piastri was able to go round the outside of Russell and Hamilton on the same lap.  DRS had been switched off because of the slipperiness on the straights, so the passes were outright.

LeClerc, Perez, Ocon and Zhou went early for Intermediate tyres.  In a few laps, LeClerc was lapped and then went off.

Halfway through the race when the rain came down heavily enough the drivers for both Mercedes and McLaren were too close to double stack.  Mercedes went for it but Norris came in and Piastri stayed out.  Verstappen also pitted and came out in between the Mercedes.  When Piastri did stop, he came out in sixth behind Sainz.

Before the rain cleared up, Russell had to retire with a water pressure issue.  He would be disappointed there wasn't enough water about on this of all days.

When it did clear up, most drivers came in quickly whilst McLaren and Norris were busy debating which sort of slick would be best and the team then served him a long stop.  He came out behind Hamilton.

With only three laps to go, Verstappen took second place from Norris and flew off to see if he could overtake Hamilton for the win.  It was the wrong tyre for McLaren to use, which was born out by Piastri's better use of the opposite choice, nearly taking the point for Fastest Lap until Sainz stole it at the very end.

With such a long wait since his last win, Hamilton was in tears in his helmet on the cool down lap.  Russell was right there in Parc Ferme, to be the first to stick his hand into the cockpit to congratulate his team mate.

The crowd seemed to enjoy the race and Silverstone brought what it usually brings, changeable conditions and the drivers that can make good decisions in a timely fashion benefited from that.  Let's hope Hungary does the same.