PREVIEW – British Grand Prix

Round ten of the 2017 season sees Formula One return to the place where the first World Championship Grand Prix was held, the former RAF airfield at Silverstone. The original circuit built in 1947, used the three runways from the airfield and was first used by a group of locals.

In that first race, Maurice Geoghegan ran over a sheep killing it and writing off the car this means the race has been informally called the Mutton Grand Prix. The first-ever round of the Formula One World Championship was held here in 1950, the race won by Guiseppe Farina.

Silverstone retains the high speed fast flowing nature which it has always had and has iconic corners. Maggots and Becketts, Stowe, Club, Abbey, Copse to name a few. This presents drivers with a high-speed flowing circuit where overtaking is very easy.

The current layout dates to 2010/11 when the new infield arena was built adding the arena and the Wellington Straight, before the new pit and paddock were open the following year. This gave Silverstone the second longest lap of the season which is held until 2016.

This also could be seen as the home Grand Prix for the majority of the teams, with many being based within fifty miles of the circuit. But, for Force India its just a walk across the road from their base. Silverstone sits at the heart of British sport, the national home of racing, up there with Anitree, Wimbledon and Wembley.

Facts and figures

Race	2017 Formula 1 British Grand Prix
Venue	Arena Grand Prix Circuit, Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire
Circuit Length	5.891 km (3.66 mi)
Laps	52
Race Distance	306.198 km (190.32 mi)
Lap Record	01:33.401 (Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing, 2013)
Most wins drivers	Jim Clark (5) Alain Prost (5)
Most wins manufacture	Ferrari (15)

Event timetable

 What happened in 2016?

Mercedes Lewis Hamilton took his third back to back win at his home Grand Prix beating his team-mate Nico Rosberg in damp/drying conditions. It was a near faultless race for the champion who led every lap and made the right calls to open the gap and master the conditions at Silverstone.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen also performed brilliantly to finish third, capturing the hearts of the British fans. Verstappen had changed like Hamilton early on to the slick tyres. Both Ferrari’s appeared to struggle against the Mercedes and Red Bull’s. Jolyon Palmer had a messy home race after Renault team released him in the pits without a right-rear tyre before retiring later in the race.

Full Race Report Full Result Google Collection

2015 vs 2016 Race Data

Data Profile

A lap of … Silverstone  L. Hamilton 01:29.287

Lewis Hamilton knew he had to do it in one lap if he was to take pole he went across the line on the way to Abbey where he hits the inside kerb before heading through the curve at Farm. Heading nicely through the Arena section good through five going for the outside along the straight

He goes close to the kerb and beautiful exit from Brooklands before nicely through the long Luffield corner. On the old start finish he drives nicely at Woodcote. To the inside a Copse where he lets his car run to the outside.

The run down to Maggots and Becketts a good into part one of the section and gets a perfect exit into Chapel nicely through and on to Hangar Straight. Drives straight thought with ease at Stow and into Vale where he slows to low speed. Gets a good exit from Club and crosses the line with a 01:29.287

Tyres