FORMULA ONE returns to the big screens as the racers prepare for the British Grand Prix in TODAY’S Practice sessions.
And Lewis Hamilton will be determined to put Nelson Piquet’s absurd use of racist language behind him by clocking up some fast times on the grid.
Formula One FREE BETS with Lewis Hamilton in action
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
Alex Albon goes P7 in a Williams!
Williams are running two different cars this weekend as they only had enough time to upgrade one.
With Albon leading teammate Nicholas Latifi in the championship standings, the British-born driver is the one running the new spec.
His is car sticks out like a sore-thumb as the team have plastered florescent pink paint as they are running an aerodynamic test.
But whatever they have done to the car seems to be working as he has clocked in a lap of 1:30:973 to put him seventh fastest.
Drivers are getting joy in the dry
And just like that the drivers are back to flying around Silverstone.
As it stands Charles Leclerc is top of the time sheets with a 1:29:962 which is almost 13 seconds faster than the time Bottas clocked in fastest with in FP1.
Defending champion Max Verstappen is 0.849 seconds behind the Ferrari driver.
FP2 STARTS!
FP2 is officially underway and there is a long line of cars waiting in the pit lane to get out.
It’s no surprise after nearly after the grid were unable to clock in a time following the rain earlier.
Can Hamilton build on his promising start earlier this afternoon?
FP2 incoming!
The rain has stopped. The track is dry. The drivers are suiting up.
This is your five minute warning for second practice which should be more interesting than the one earlier which saw Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas top the time sheets.
FP1 is done – Bottas leads Hamilton
It is almost like old times, Bottas nowadays drives for Alfa Romeo, has gone quickest in FP1 ahead of Hamilton in encouraging signs for the Brit.
Sainz is third and Leclerc fourth on a drying track, the session has been cut short due to Stroll’s accident.
The Aston Martin driver is fine and out of the car, which is being lifted by a crane at Turn 8.
Red Flag – Lance Stroll crashes
The Aston Martin man crashes out right at the end of the session. He spun and is in the barriers.
The Canadian driver is making this somewhat a habit.
Hamilton is going for it here.
He is out on the slicks, He’s taken a set of soft tyres in the hope of going quickest.
He means business this weekend.
Hamilton on Track
The Mercedes man is out on track, which is still damp in parts. He’s on the intermediate tyres.
He had a decent first sector, but he’s now eased off as he slowly gets up to speed.
21 Minutes to go
We have no cars on track, but plenty of grey clouds ahead.
Hamilton has just walked out to the pitwall to wave to the fans, who aren’t getting their money’s worth in terms of on-track action.
Still just eight drivers on track
The weather has put many teams off from running, which is strange as you’d expect the wet-weather running to be of some use – particularly here.
Sainz leads from Leclerc, Bottas currently in P3.
Charles Leclerc leads the way
The Ferrari driver is the first one to churn out a flying lap of 1:43:001 with most of the drivers opting to stay dry for the time being.
Even with their green intermediate tyres on, drivers are reporting slipping in certain areas of the track.
Half of Silverstone seems to be under rain while the sun is starting to show its face in certain areas.
If you want to know just how wet it is in certain areas, just take a look at the spray back from Leclerc’s Ferrari….
The heavens have opened up!
Just as the cars head out of their garages the rain has started to pour here at Silverstone.
This is now what any team would have wanted as they now will not be able to get a clear picture of how the new upgrades fair around the track.
But spare a thought for the fans who have had to put their brollies up and ponchos on in an effort to stay dry!
And we’re underway!
The wait to see how fast the new Mercedes is should not be too long as both drivers are first out of their garages!
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are just behind.
All eyes on the home favourites
Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris will all be cheered on by the home crowd at Silverstone this weekend but this afternoon’s practice sessions will give us an insight on whether any of them will be capable of taking a win come Sunday.
Merc driver Hamilton’s preparation for his home race has been clouded by a racism storm after being racially abused by three-time world champion Nelson Piquet.
But Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff told SunSport exclusively feels the race-hate can fuel his bid to win.
You can read it here
Good Afternoon!
The sun may not be shining today but the British Grand Prix is finally here!
The camp sites are packed and the grandstands are filling as FP1 is just ten minutes away.
All eyes will be on Lewis Hamilton and his new Mercedes car which has arrived with fresh upgrades ahead of this race but Championship leader Max Verstappen will be the one to beat.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
