Lewis Hamilton became the first driver in history to win three British Grands Prix in a row at Silverstone to move to within four points of Nico Rosberg in the world championship standings
Read Paul Weaver’s race report
2.52pm BST
Here’s Paul Weaver’s report on Hamilton’s historic hat-trick at Silverstone for you to feast your eyes on.
Related: Lewis Hamilton cruises to historic F1 British Grand Prix hat-trick
2.51pm BST
Mark Webber is on the mic … “we have a reasonable, popular winner.” Hmmm.
Hamilton is in a good mood and thanks the fans before an English weather gag then drops a not so subtle hint to the crowd in an attempt to get them not to boo Rosberg. It doesn’t work.
UPDATED DRIVERS' STANDINGS*
(* ROS under investigation by the race stewards) pic.twitter.com/4q2Ef0Ir5X
2.45pm BST
Verstappen gets lukewarm applause as he enters the podium, Rosberg boos and Hamilton delirious cheers. National anthem time.
Take a bow, @LewisHamilton
3 #BritishGP wins in a row
4 in total pic.twitter.com/pIpytb3WZu
2.43pm BST
Hamilton is dancing all over the place. It’s fair to say he’s a happy bunny. And so he should be.
Very little chatter as the top three towel themselves down. A little bit tense in there. Hamilton and Verstappen chatting tyres now, Verstappen tells Hamilton he was catching him on the intermediate tyres. Hamilton doesn’t agree. Rosberg keeps his counsel.
2.40pm BST
Hamilton is milking the applause in front of a delighted home crowd and is thanking his team over the radio. Gushing praise for those who have catapulted him right back into the world championship.
Here’s how the top 10 finished, bearing in mind that Rosberg is still under investigation, meaning that, pending that investigation, Hamilton is just four points behind Rosberg overall.
2.36pm BST
That was comfortable for Hamilton, who becomes the first driver to win three in a row at Silverstone. Rosberg hangs on for second with Verstappen making do with third.
2.35pm BST
Lap 52 of 52: When I say OK, I mean his car … the investigation is yet to be concluded but out in front of him Hamilton cruises home to clinch his third straight victory at Silverstone and his fourth overall!
2.33pm BST
Lap 51 of 52: Rosberg looks like he’s going to be OK, despite the commentators’ desperate attempts to inject some artificial excitement into the closing stages.
2.31pm BST
Lap 50 of 52: Rosberg is under investigation for some chitter chatter that perhaps should not have been said when discussing his gearbox issue with his team.
2.30pm BST
Lap 49 of 52: There are a few nervous faces in the Mercedes garage. Hamilton certainly isn’t nervous, he’s 11 seconds ahead but Rosberg is just 1.3 seconds ahead of Verstappen.
2.28pm BST
Lap 48 of 52: So Rosberg’s problems are such that he doesn’t have seventh gear available. A problem many of us find ourselves in on the M1. That pretty much rubber-stamps Hamilton’s victory but second is back in play for Verstappen.
2.27pm BST
Lap 47 of 52: I was about to say that Verstappen is in no man’s land between Rosberg and Ricciardo but Rosberg is in a fair bit of bother. Gearbox problems it appears.
Meanwhile, Raikonnen has overtaken Perez for fifth place.
2.25pm BST
Lap 46 of 52: Raikonnen is closing in on Perez in fifth, has been for a while in truth, but he can’t get past jut yet.
2.23pm BST
Lap 45 of 52: That’s not to say Rosberg isn’t giving it a crack – regardless of what ‘team orders’ might be. But with just under six seconds, it’s looking unlikely.
2.22pm BST
Lap 44 of 52: Hamilton posts the fastest lap … I’m going to tempt fate and say that he’s going to see this one out pretty comfortably.
2.20pm BST
Lap 43 of 52: Palmer is getting a bit of a talking to by one of his team’s bods. He has the look of a man who doesn’t want to be here any more.
2.19pm BST
Lap 42 of 52: Hamilton’s lead is 6.5 seconds or there abouts. Verstappen is slipping ever further behind Rosberg.
2.17pm BST
Lap 41 of 52: Massa is flying on his new tyres. Meanwhile, Vettel’s penalty has been confirmed to the tune of five seconds.
2.15pm BST
Lap 40 of 52: Rosberg with the most recent fastest lap but Hamilton still leads by about eight seconds. Palmer is back into the pits … and is not going to come out again which, after what happened last time, might be for the best.
2.14pm BST
Lap 39 of 52: Vettel is under investigation – just when things were looking up. Massa goes in for a pit-stop. He has the lane to himself so no bother there. His progress will be of interest to the leaders.
2.12pm BST
Lap 38 of 52: Vettel has just forced Massa off the track and Massa is not best pleased about that. Vettel moves ahead but probably not very long.
Rosberg roasts Verstappen meanwhile, in pretty much the same place that he lost second place to the teenager. Boom.
2.11pm BST
Lap 37 of 52: We’re getting towards the business end of the race … namely, are there going to be any pit stops and if so when. It’s as you were though with 15 laps remaining and Rosberg continues to cling on to Verstappen’s coat-tails.
2.08pm BST
Lap 35 of 52: Rosberg goes again, the outside this time but Verstappen just had the speed to keep him at bay. If it stays like this, Rosberg will be only one point ahead of Hamilton in the overall standings …
2.06pm BST
Lap 34 of 52: Button is 12th for those wondering and we have 18 left on the track. Back to Rosberg v Verstappen … and the Red Bull stays ahead for the time being.
2.04pm BST
Lap 33 of 52: Rosberg has a crack at Verstappen, who saw him coming and covered him off. Rosberg is not going anywhere in a hurry though.
Sergio Perez because the latest to spin at turn one, he gathers himself quickly enough to stay in front of Raikonnen though.
2.01pm BST
Lap 31 of 52: Ricciardo has just posted the fastest lap. Verstappen is not happy on the radio.
1.59pm BST
Lap 30 of 52: Verstappen is still a wee bit quicker than Hamilton but still trails by just shy of four seconds. Rosberg meanwhile, it within a second of Versappen, who just a wobble.
1.58pm BST
Lap 29 of 52: A bit of good news for Ferrari and Vettel, who nips up the inside past Kvyat and into the points in 10th place.
1.56pm BST
Lap 28 of 52: Hamilton is going very slowly through turns two and three … what the bleeding hell happened there? A replay shows a wobble from Hamilton on to the service road – and Verstappen did the same thing.
The end result is that the top three are a lot closer. Rosberg is just over a second behind Verstappen.
1.53pm BST
Lap 26 of 52: Haryanto is off, pretty much in the same spot that his team-mate Wehrlein went off earlier, oopsy poopsy.
1.51pm BST
Lap 25 of 52: There goes Alonso … maybe not, he’s just about able to get back on to the track after a spin on the gravel. I’ve a feeling Alonso may not finish the race.
Rosberg cuts the gap to Verstappen to under two seconds.
1.48pm BST
Lap 23 of 52: Sainz moves up to sixth, past Raikonnen, after a blunder at turn one. Rosberg meanwhile, is upping the pace and is 2.3 seconds behind Verstappen now.
1.47pm BST
Lap 22 of 52: Hamilton has been told to keep an open mind re: his current tyres. Here’s more on Palmer’s faux-pas earlier.
LAP 18/52: Something's missing here, guys #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/P63kzf4bby
1.45pm BST
Lap 21 of 52: So, Hamilton leads from Verstappen by just over five seconds, Verstappen is absolutely flying though. A bit further back, Ricciardo is back up to fourth, overtaking Perez.
1.43pm BST
Lap 20 of 52: Sainz and Kvyat are having all sorts of fun and games in their Torro Rossos. Palmer gets a 10-second penalty for ‘releasing his car in an unsafe condition’ or driving off with three wheels, in normal speak.
Alonso isn’t a happy bunny today. He’s had a dash at Massa but hasn’t managed to get through. He’s not going to go down wondering today.
1.41pm BST
Lap 19 of 52: Hamilton is in for some slicks. Vettel had been motoring after his change but he’s gone for a spin, not in a good way. Verstappen briefly led but has now ducked in to change his tyres and successfully departs with four wheels.
Grosjean is off, yellow flags …
1.38pm BST
Lap 18 of 52: Raikonnen follows Vettel in – Ferrari chancing their arm. That move from Verstappen went down particularly well.
Hmm, Jolyon Palmer is in all sorts of bother down in the pit lane. He drove off with only three wheels and you do not need to be a an F1 expert to know that’s not a good idea.
1.36pm BST
Lap 16 of 52: Vettel is in early for the dry tyres. Very interesting. Let’s see what he’s made of. Rosberg is struggling and Verstappen burns past him! Woof! Rosberg comes back at him but no dice. Versappen into second.
1.34pm BST
Lap 15 of 52: The battle between Massa, Hulkenberg and Alonso, currently eighth, ninth and 10th, is fierce. Up front they seem to be playing the waiting game. Magnussen is asked over the radio, “how’s the track, talk to us,”. “Still wet.”
1.32pm BST
Lap 14 of 52: Verstappen’s been on the radio and explains that the track is drying, which is not all that surprising, seeing as it has stopped raining. Dry tyres are unlikely to be far away.
1.30pm BST
Lap 13 of 52: So the Mercedes pair look like they’re trying to save their tyres which is allowing Verstappen to keep the heat on. We’re watching Button trying to overtake Bottas now. Button’s car has a big Smirnoff symbol on the front of his car, which doesn’t quite seem appropriate.
1.28pm BST
Lap 12: Hamilton appears to be slowing … Rosberg is closing in quickly, almost to four seconds. Verstappen is just over two behind Rosberg. Hulkenberg is motoring and closing in on Massa in eighth.
1.27pm BST
Lap 11 of 52: Bottas has a big old spin, he’s still clinging on but he’s lost a few places and is just in front of Button, who’s currently 14th. Verstappen has just set a new fastest lap. Oooossh.
Top 10: 1) Hamilton. 2) Rosberg. 3) Verstappen. 4) Perez. 5) Ricciardo. 6) Raikonnen. 7) Sainz. 8) Massa. 9) Hulkenberg. 10) Alonso
1.22pm BST
Lap 9 of 52: Hulkenberg has overtaken Alonso to move into 10th. He’s moving well. Hamilton is edging further ahead of Rosberg. He’s about five seconds in front now. Rosberg at least seems to have Verstappen at bay.
1.20pm BST
Lap 8 of 52: Hamilton and Rosberg both take advantage of that and move to intermediate tyres. Smoothly done. Perez is up to fourth by the by, overtaking Ricciardo. He began in 10th place – fair to say he’s the biggest beneficiary of all the early pit stops.
The virtual safety car is back in the virtual garage and we’re racing again.
1.18pm BST
Lap 7 of 52: Ricciardo almost clatters into Button on exit. That might be an “unsafe release” apparently. Whatever that means. Oh dear. Pascal Wehrlein has gone, beeched on the gravel.
“Yeah, I’m out,” he says. Virtual safety car is out now …
1.16pm BST
Lap 6 of 52: So the first four drivers stay out, loads of drivers go in to change tyres – chaos in the pit lane. Utter chaos. Alonso almost ploughed into someone. Verstappen is all over the back of Rosberg. Ricciardo goes into the pits.
1.14pm BST
Lap 5 of 52: Confirmation that this is the last lap for the safety car. Thank goodness. Replays show Hamilton almost ovetook the safety car, which is now finally in. Game on.
1.12pm BST
Lap 4 of 52: Safety car remains on the track. Overstaying its welcome somewhat.
This is silly. 4 laps of the safety car. These drivers are supposed to be the best in the world. Letthem drive the #BritishGP
1.09pm BST
Lap 3 of 52: Safety car out for lap No3. The commentary team are beside themselves. Hamilton is frustrated that the safety car is too slow and as a result the drivers can’t warm their tyres up. Poor lambs.
Meanwhile, over on Channel 4, David Coulthard - who started 246 grands prix - thinks that the plural is grand prix’s …
1.06pm BST
Lap 2 of 52: Woof. Look at that spray (a technical term I believe) being erm … sprayed up as the cars go round. There’s clearly a fair bit of water on the track.
The safety car stays out for the second lap. Vettel has been on the radio, as has Hamilton, both bemoaning the standing water on the track like it’s nuclear waste.
1.00pm BST
We’re underway! And nothing’s happening because there’s a safety car. Hamilton leads from Rosberg, Vestappen and Ricciardo. The question on everyone’s lips is when, how, where, with whom will the drivers change tyres. And to what …
Grid for you … better late than never.
12.58pm BST
Jesus wept.
A whole host of celebs today. Poulter, Carrick, Joshua, Tempah, Spice Girls, Willett, Hoy, Bruno and this chap, too. pic.twitter.com/235vO8vnCn
12.54pm BST
Cue endless classic British weather gags … the sun is now out.
12.53pm BST
Formula One has officially gone to the dogs … I can’t find the grid listings anywhere but, probably more importantly, it’s going to be a safety car start. Sky Sports are in mourning. Bet they feel foolish now after their “we want showers” bluster.
12.49pm BST
So, as aforementioned, the rain throws the proverbial cat among the pigeons. There’s a flurry of activity down in the pits, tyres appear to be the main issue.
It's just started bucketing down... pic.twitter.com/wbIvn8ihiu
12.46pm BST
“My trousers are sticking to my legs they’re so wet. I want Lewis Hamilton to win, he’s a good boy.”
Wise words. Time for the national anthem.
12.40pm BST
“We’ll have a lot of fun this afternoon,” assures Nigel Mansell.
“It’s going to be an interesting race,” muses Christian Horner.
12.36pm BST
Sky Sports have admirably nailed their colours to the mast. “We wants showers” is the new mantra. And there is, apparently, “rain in the air.”
Which conflicts with other reports on the track …
A few dark clouds looming overhead, but no rain yet. Thirty minutes until lights out. #BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Pf5kzaRncf
12.33pm BST
Sky Sports’ man in the pit lane is just a light drizzle away from an aneurysm, such is his excitement down there. Still no
otters
rain just yet, which means it’s a straight shootout between Hamilton and Rosberg. But …
“If it rains it’s anybody’s race.”
12.31pm BST
A spot of news of the good variety with less than half an hour until lights out … read more below.
Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson has been cleared to race in Sunday’s British GP after a medical examination, the governing FIA said. The Swede needed to pass the medical after crashing heavily in Saturday’s final practice at Silverstone and being taken to hospital.
Ericsson posted a picture on his Twitter account of himself making a thumbs-up gesture while sitting in his rebuilt car. Sauber said the 25-year-old driver, who was not able to take part in qualifying, would start from the pit lane.
12.24pm BST
There’s a small spot of ozone layer remaining overhead so the Red Arrows are out in force to try and remedy that. Talk around the track is whether Button has agreed a deal to sign for Williams next season. Button is, for the time being, staying tight-lipped. The tease.
12.17pm BST
Rules. Who doesn’t like rules, eh? Well they’re in operation today – exceeding track limits = bye, bye bad driver. It almost cost Hamilton in qualifying and Button has been discussing it in a bit more detail here.
Related: Drivers agree to track limit penalties being enforced during British GP
12.09pm BST
Weather watch … no otters.
No rain either. As yet. And it’s a big As Yet.
#F1 #BBCF1 #BRITISHGP 1200BST A narrow strip of light rain is edging-in from W, so some rain possible at circuit. pic.twitter.com/n8v1Hd8rkW
4.44pm BST
Hello world! And welcome to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, or as Google Maps calls it, “Silverstone Circuit – historically important motoring track”.
Lewis Hamilton is eyeing a hat-trick after victories at Silverstone in the last two years – he’d become the first to do the British GP treble, all on this historically important track, and he could even leapfrog his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in the overall standings which would be the sweetest of icings on the cake at his home circuit.
Lewis Hamilton has more personas than the Man of a Thousand Faces, as the old stage and film actor Lon Chaney was known. We have the rock star, the rapper, the playboy, the motorbike designer, the cosmetics salesman, the social media junkie, the fashionista and a collector of tattoos that Ray Bradbury’s Illustrated Man might envy.
At times he appears younger than his 31 years, someone still striving to discover his true self. Happily, roughly every fortnight, he finds it, abandoning his multiple incognitos to reveal himself, and it is one of the most exciting, glamorous identities anyone could possibly hope for, as the outstanding Formula One driver of his time.
Read the full article here:
Related: Lewis Hamilton targets hat-trick and British GP history at Silverstone
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