British Formula One Grand Prix

[SteveB]

Race Sunday at 15:00 [3pm]

Max Verstappen on pole after a chaotic wet qualifying. Silverstone has not suited Red Bull in the past. They have only won here three times, 2009, 2010, 2012. In 2010 and 2012 they won with Mark Webber, and 2009 with Sebastian Vettel. [Sebastian Vettel won again in 2018 but then he was driving for Ferrari]
Max Verstappen has never won here.

In contrast, Lewis Hamilton has won eight times, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021.

Red Bull currently have won ten races in a row. McLaren claimed 11 consecutive victories in 1988 with Brazilian Ayrton Senna and Frenchman Alain Prost and no other constructor has managed to repeat that feat, with Mercedes and Ferrari only ever managing 10 consecutive wins during their periods of dominance.
Red Bull can equal McLaren's 35-year-old record of 11 wins in a row if one of their drivers win.

[Ferrari effectively won 14 in succession in 1952-53 but they did not compete in the Indianapolis 500 and that was counted as a round of the championship.]

[SteveB]

Race Sunday 15:00.


Qualifying

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
6. George Russell (Mercedes)
7. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
8. Alex Albon (Williams)
9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

11. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
13. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
14. Logan Sargeant (Williams)

15. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
16. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)
18. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)
19. Nyck de Vries (Alpha Tauri)
20. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

[Ketchup2023]

Norris and Piastri must have done well. They usually wouldn't be that high up the grid or have they been that high before?

[SteveB]

Norris and Piastri must have done well. They usually wouldn't be that high up the grid or have they been that high before?

McLaren have been steadily improving although this result is a surprise. Silverstone does throw up surprises. Lando Norris was close to getting pole. Good driving and an improving car but a certain about of luck, an uncertain and hard to predict track, intermittent rain, and a drying and rubbering-in track helped. Whoever timed a fast run last had the advantage. But I can't see them holding that position tomorrow.

There is a well-founded belief that Red Bull are so far ahead that they are putting less time and effort in this year's car and more into next years so they may become a bit less competitive as the season progresses.

Sergio Perez was sixteenth. Difficult conditions but his last few races have not been as good as the start of the season and Red Bull are renown to be very unsentimental. He needs a good result soon or he could be looking another job.

[SteveB]

Lando Norris leads from a good start. Oscar Piastri attacking Max Verstappen for second, giving Lando Norris the chance to get away. Siverstone always throws something unusual.

[SteveB]

Max Verstappen inevitably takes the lead. But good effort from both the McLarens.

[SteveB]

Alpine has retired Esteban Ocon's car. First retirement.

Rain on the way. That will be interesting.

[SteveB]

Max Verstappen is still within a couple of seconds of the McClarens. Not exactly disappearing up the road as he often does.

[SteveB]

Sergio Perez told Plan B
He replies that he can't remember what Plan B is. Told he will be told what it is. After race briefing could be interesting!

Max Verstappen starting to pull away. Five seconds ahead now.

[SteveB]

Kevin Magnussen's Haas is on fire, and not in a good way! Stops and Virtual Safety Car.
Now Full Safety Car.

Opportunity for a cheap pit stop. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton go for soft tyres rather than hards. Soft will be faster, but if they do not last they will be at a disadvantage.