Race Week British Grand Prix
It's Race Weekend in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
British GP History
Formula 1 makes a stop in the UK for the British Grand Prix, which takes place at the Silverstone Circuit. The first official British Grand Prix was part of the inaugural F1 season in 1950, and it was won by Italian driver Giuseppe Farina, who drove for Alfa Romeo. From 1955 to 1986, the Grand Prix alternated between Silverstone, Aintree, and Brands Hatch. Since 1986, Silverstone has been the permanent home of the British Grand Prix.
Since 2000, there have been thirteen different winners. Ferrari leads with a total of eighteen victories. Lewis Hamilton stands out with nine wins, making him the most successful driver at Silverstone. In the last three years, the winners have come from different teams: Carlos Sainz won for Ferrari in 2022, Max Verstappen won for Red Bull in 2023, and Lewis Hamilton won for Mercedes in 2024. The British Grand Prix is contracted to remain on the Formula 1 calendar until 2034.
About the Circuit:
The Silverstone Circuit is a 5.891 km (3.66 mi) racetrack featuring eighteen turns and hosting events like Formula 1, MotoGP, and ELMS. Initially, the Silverstone Circuit was located on the site of a Royal Air Force bomber station, which was operational from 1943 to 1946. After World War II, the site was transformed into a racetrack. Its flat terrain and expansive runways made it an ideal location for large-scale events, and it quickly became a prominent venue in the motorsport world.
Silverstone has been a fan favorite for decades, thanks to its combination of high-speed straights and challenging corners, including the famous "Maggots and Becketts" and Copse Corner. Nestled within the picturesque English countryside, Silverstone consistently offers thrilling race weekends.
McLaren. Fresh off a 1-2 Podium in Austria, McLaren continues to make a statement in the constructor's title, nearly doubling the second-place Ferrari team. While McLaren should be rejoicing in wrapping up the constructors' title already, the focus is on the sizzling and close drivers' title, separated by only 15 points at the moment. Oscar was rolling, Lando made a big statement in Austria, and Lando would love to finally win his home Grand Prix after two back-to-back podiums in the British GP but never finding the top step. Expect one of the best battles of the season. Silverstone will deliver, and McLaren will be right there in the middle of the action. Absolute Cinema!
Ferrari. The winningest team at the British Grand Prix, with the winningest driver at Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton, the odds favor Ferrari strongly this weekend. We'll see if this manifests after another podium weekend in Austria, but it's still just off the lead pace. This weekend could play into Ferrari's interest, with some intermittent weather expected. Lewis's familiarity as the most successful driver at Silverstone, combined with Charles's excellence in the rain, makes this weekend a viable opportunity for Ferrari to capitalize.
Mercedes. Rumors were buzzing around Mercedes early this week, suggesting that the reason George Russell does not have a new contract is because team principal Toto Wolff is in discussions with Max Verstappen. With four podiums + a Win, only two races out of the top 5, George is having his best year in F1. The team was finding some cohesiveness over the last few races; I hope these rumors don't disrupt the team chemistry. I expect another weekend at the top for the UK-based Mercedes team. The team won the last British GP with Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull. Trying to find their rhythm, Red Bull has only scored thirty points total since Max's win at Imola four races ago. The team left Austria with zero points after Max's early exit and Yuki finishing a disappointing sixteenth. The team is in desperate need of a good weekend for the constructor's fight, as well as a boost in morale. A home race for Red Bull with the headquarters just 20+ miles away, let’s see if Red Bull can make this a good home GP.
Williams. Williams was looking strong earlier this season, but it has been full brakes over the last three races, scoring only one point total in three races after scoring 50+ points. Williams is in a shake-it-off situation; there's no real explanation for why things fall apart now and then, but bouncing back and getting back into the habit of scoring points is essential. There are charging teams in the sixth through ninth positions; anyone can still get hot. It is a home race for Williams, with "The Grove" headquarters just 27 miles from Silverstone.
VCARB. VCARB kept the points momentum going with a best F1 finish, sixth place by Liam Lawson. Liam needed that; success cures all, and that finish took some pressure off the volatile start Liam had to the season. Isack finished twelfth in Austria, but we know he is capable of scoring points. Silverstone will play well in the VCARB grips, with some weather expected, and good, clean races could result in some nice points finishes. VCARB is my sleeper team for the weekend. Seventh and eighth-place finishes are what I'm projecting.
Haas. Ocon snagged the last point in Austria again. Ocon is piecing together some nice and competitive race weekends. The pressure will be on home race favorite Ollie Bearman; he needs a good weekend. Haas still has a lot to compete for; the sixth-place position is still wide open, and maybe even fifth if Williams can't figure it out quickly. Haas is bringing upgrades; expect a slightly better qualifying effort from the team.
Aston Martin. Alonso is officially on a points streak after his third consecutive points finish in a row. The team has turned a slight corner, but Stroll has not been able to jump back on the points wagon. The team can make some moves with a few more consecutive points finishes. Sixth place is still very capable for any team that can string together some solid races. An actual home race, the headquarters on the Silverstone campus, Aston Martin, will have a lot of eyes on them this weekend.
Stake Sauber.
Double points for Stake, let me say that again: double points for Stake Sauber. What a fantastic weekend! First f1 points for Bortoleto, and oops, Nico did it again. A lot of things went right for the Stake team in Austria, but they were standing there waiting as soon as the door opened. Stake is riding high, and the momentum is with them; every week, they're swinging for the fences. With the weather to play out, Hulkenberg has had a series of successful races at Silverstone...Nico might surprise us again, and Gabi? He's just heating up.
Alpine. Alpine has had its share of struggles in the last few races. Pierre has not had a points finish at Silverstone since 2020, but he does have a fourth-place finish on his resume. Franco has still not been able to secure a points finish, and rumors have swirled that Valtteri Bottas may get a shot at the Alpine second seat; Franco needs to work some magic.
