The British Grand Prix weekend is underway at Silverstone, featuring practice sessions and a range of entertainment. The event is described as more than just a race, encompassing live music, hospitality, and community participation. According to Stuart Pringle, chief executive of Silverstone, the Grand Prix contributes significantly to the local economy, with a recent report indicating a £154 million contribution over three and a half days last year.
During a practice session, Lewis Hamilton recorded the fastest lap with a time of 1:29.260 on soft tyres. He moved ahead of Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes by two tenths of a second. Antonelli currently leads the championship by 40 points. Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s Ferrari team-mate, placed third with a time of 0.599 seconds behind Hamilton. George Russell, also from Mercedes, was fourth, 0.678 seconds off the leading time. Oscar Piastri of McLaren completed the top five, 0.887 seconds behind Hamilton.
Earlier in the practice, Antonelli had set a time of 1:29.473, which was nearly half a second quicker than his team-mate Russell. Russell is looking to maintain momentum from the previous weekend’s race in Austria. Max Verstappen of Red Bull completed his soft tyre run, positioning himself between the two McLarens of Piastri and Lando Norris, more than nine tenths slower than Hamilton’s best time.
Practice session highlights
The practice session saw several drivers navigating the circuit. Liam Lawson expressed concerns regarding Nico Hulkenberg during his preparations for a push lap. Lawson later moved into third place on the medium compound tyres. Piastri experienced a spin in his McLaren around Chapel, though he confirmed he was unharmed, noting his tyres were compromised.
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly reported that his car felt unpredictable to his pit wall. Hamilton, who is aiming for a tenth British Grand Prix victory, improved his position to fourth on the timesheets during the session. He was 0.424 seconds behind Antonelli’s top time at that point. Leclerc also improved his standing on the hard compound, but Hamilton surpassed Antonelli’s time to lead the first practice session with a 1:30.521 on hard tyres.
The circuit’s Village corner proved challenging for several drivers, including Norris, Antonelli, and Leclerc, who all experienced wobbles. Norris, whose McLaren featured a special white/silver livery this weekend, noted that his car’s pace was still behind the leaders after finishing seventh in Spielberg.
Only six teams introduced technical upgrades for this round of the championship. McLaren brought updates to their front corner and floor furniture. Haas focused on their rear wing and rear wing endplate. Racing Bulls updated their floor edge and diffuser, as well as the rear corner. Red Bull and Ferrari both had rear corner upgrades, while Williams introduced a new rear wing.
The Grand Prix experience
The British Grand Prix is not solely focused on the racing. The event also features concerts, with tens of thousands attending a performance by David Guetta and Anne-Marie on Thursday. Pringle noted that the event has built a reputation within the music industry, attracting major artists who are also F1 fans. He also highlighted the year-round economic impact of the sport on the local economy, particularly in high-performance motorsport engineering jobs, which are centred around Silverstone.
Pringle commented on the prospect of Hamilton achieving a victory at the British Grand Prix, calling it an “exceptional story” if he were to win for the tenth time at Silverstone. The 17-lap sprint race is scheduled for 12:00 BST on Saturday, with the main 52-lap Grand Prix starting at 15:00 BST on Sunday.
Source: bbc.co.uk