THE stands are packed at Silverstone with F1 action underway at the British Grand Prix.
We’ve three days of exciting racing ahead, with Lewis Hamilton looking to continue his stunning record at this track and stop the Red Bull charge.
But Max Verstappen was in irresistible form during FP1, beating Lewis into third and seven-tenths faster than Lando Norris in second.
- Qualifying time: 6pm BST
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports F1/NOW TV
Follow ALL the action from Silverstone with our live blog below…
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MERC CHASING SHADOWS
Toto Wolff has downplayed the effect of the Mercedes upgrades this weekend.
He says: “This is a performance gap, we must step up with the tools available to us. We must keep fighting.
“It’s a test for the team, we’ve had seven fantastic years and are definitely not ready to give the baton to [Red Bull].”
On Valtteri Bottas, the Merc boss confirms it is the plan to seal the Finn’s future, one way or another, before the summer break.
MAC ATTACK
Lando Norris put his McLaren in second during FP1.
Team boss Zak Brown says: “You never quite know what others are running in engine modes, fuel weights…
“Red Bull and Mercedes continue to be in a league of their own. Ferrari are always quick and the other teams have all taken a turn at being third quickest.
“We’re hoping to be as quick as in Austria, or there or thereabouts.”
ONE EYE ON THE FUTURE
This week, Formula One revealed the car for the 2022 rule overhaul.
Read up on the finer details of the new design with our rundown here.
QUALY TONIGHT
So, tonight we do a classic qualifying session – Q1, Q2, and Q3.
That will decide the grid for tomorrow’s sprint race – which in turn decides the grid for Sunday’s main race, while handing out some points for the top three.
Sounds simple enough, let’s hope the drivers give it some welly!
TOP TEN IN FP1
1. VER – 1:27.035
2. NOR – Seven tenths off but on slower Medium tyres
3. HAM – 1:27.815 and some way off Verstappen
4. LEC
5. BOT – Joint most laps, 30, with Hamilton
6. SAI – Both Ferrari drivers post good times
7. VET
8. RIC
9. OCO
10. GASCredit: PA CHEQUERED FLAG
Max Verstappen cruises into first place in first practice – seven tenths clear of anybody else.
And a very impressive lap on the Medium tyre puts Lando Norris second, just 0.001 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton in third.
FINAL LAPS
The field settling into longer runs on the Softs now, with two minutes to go.
Lance Stroll, in 18th, complains over the radio about lacking confidence in his Aston Martin. However, Sebastian Vettel is seventh.
LEWIS NOT HAPPY
On the radio, Lewis Hamilton asks: “Seven tenths, where’s that come from?”
That’s Max Verstappen’s advantage over the reigning champ with eight minutes to go of FP1.
HOW ABOUT NOW?
Lewis Hamilton is out on the Softs – and immediately complaining of ‘vibrations’ over the radio.
It’s only P3 and still seven tenths off Max Verstappen for the Brit, with Valtteri Bottas going fourth.
Elsewhere, Verstappen is out for another run on the Softs – perhaps with more fuel as a sprint race practice run.
And Lando Norris is SECOND on the Mediums, with McLaren team-mate Daniel Ricciardo sixth. Going nicely.
IT IS EARLY, BUT…
Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are outside the top ten.
Sat in the pits, they are behind a fair few drivers who have also only used the Medium tyres for their best time.
Surely it’s only a matter of time before Lewis lifts himself from 12th. Surely.
Credit: Getty AROUND WE GO
Carlos Sainz produces the first 360 of the weekend, spinning his Ferrari at Village.
He’s back in the pits in one piece.
SOFTLY SOFTLY
It’s time for some real pace from Max Verstappen, as if he wasn’t quick enough before…
On the Soft tyre, he registers a 1:27.035, a seven-tenths improvement on his time with the slower Mediums.
Sergio Perez is over a second back after his first run on the quicker tyre.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris bumps himself up to third with Charles Leclerc fourth.
MCLARENS EMERGE
Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris have been stuck near the bottom of the timesheets for most of the session.
But a strong lap on the Mediums has the Aussie into sixth… ahead of the two Mercedes cars.
TOP TEN AT HALFWAY
1. VER
2. PER
3. VET
4. BOT
5. HAM
6. OCO
7. STR
8. GIO
9. RAI
10. MSCCredit: Reuters MAX POWER
Mercedes might have to turn it up a notch, or twelve.
Sergio Perez shaves a couple of tenths of his time before Max Verstappen goes quicker to put a whopping 1.7 seconds between himself and Lewis Hamilton.
That’s a 1:27.745. Anyone fancy topping it?
RED BULL ALERT
We had a Mercedes one-two for far too long and now the championship leaders are getting involved.
Sergio Perez, on the Mediums, breaks into the 1:28s before Max Verstappen launches into the lead.
That’s over half a second quicker than his team-mate and over a second clear of the Mercs. Ominous.
Credit: Getty TESTING THE LIMITS
Drivers are wasting no time pushing the boundaries with stewards deleting a handful of times for running outside of the kerbs.
Valtteri Bottas goes quickest, three tenths clear of Lewis Hamilton and it is allowed to remain despite the fact that he ran wide at Club.
SETUP TO FAIL?
Lots and lots of running will be necessary in this hour due to the rejigged race weekend.
Regular qualifying tonight means cars go in Parc Ferme after that session, so any setup changes and tweaks must be made on the basis of a single practice runout.
Typically, drivers have all three practices before having to nail down their particulars.
Credit: Getty HOME FAVOURITES
George Russell puts himself in ninth after a strong first outing around his home track – a place behind emerging rival Fernando Alonso.
Fellow Brit Lando Norris is currently 13th in the McLaren.
FIRST TIMES IN
The Medium tyre is pulled on first off by Lewis Hamilton who eases into top spot with a 1:30.048.
Almost everyone else has got out on the track with the Hards.
LIGHTS OUT
Let’s go racing!
We have Ferraris and McLarens among the first out on track.
HERE WE GO
The grandstands are packed, the sun is (kind of) shining…
What more could we want?
The British Grand Prix first practice is about to get underway.
Credit: Getty TRACK GUIDE
We all know Silverstone inside out, from the twists and turns of Maggots and Becketts to the Hamilton Straight on the start/finish line.
But where will the overtakes be taking place?
The home straight is not the longest so, barring a daring dive down the inside at Village, the Wellington Straight into Brooklands is the best chance in the early part of the lap.
Anybody trying to overtake at the blisteringly fast Copse corner will be a brave man – but it has been done before.
After the S’s, the Hangar Straight into Stowe is a popular opportunity, as is a last-ditch make-or-break dive at final corner, Club.
In other words. There are many overtaking places on this track. Many.
WEATHER FORECAST
Is this glorious sunshine set to continue?
Continue?! It’s going to get hotter!
Track temperature right now is hovering just below 24°C with clear skies and 28°C predicted for Saturday.
The race on Sunday currently has a zero per cent chance of rain, and lots more sunshine.
START YOUR ENGINES
The tenth round of the 2021 Championship features the first-ever sprint race and practice begins in just an hour’s time.
Today, we have a session at 2.30pm followed by the typical qualifying runout at 6pm.
That will be the typical Q1, 2 and 3 affair to determine the grid for tomorrow’s sprint race.
It promises to be a wild ride that could well change the future of the sport as we know it… So join us for the latest updates and news throughout the weekend!
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
