Formula One Preview: British Grand Prix

The British Grand Prix has featured on every F1 calendar since 1950 | Credit: Formula One

This week, Formula One returns to the place where it all started for the 77th World Championship British Grand Prix.

Circuit Guide

On 13th May 1950, Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina led a field of 24 drivers off the starting line to kick off the first ever Formula One World Championship Grand Prix. Just over two hours later, the Italian would take the chequered flag; almost four months later, he would become F1’s first World Champion.

76 years on, the sport returns to the site of Farina’s first triumph for the latest installment in one of the most prestigious events on the F1 calendar. The Silverstone Circuit, built on a former RAF bomber station, has changed considerably since then, although the basic shape and profile of the track remains recognisable.

Silverstone’s layout was transformed in 2010 with the addition of the infield section | Credit: Formula One

The last significant reprofiling of the circuit came in 2010, when the new infield section was introduced. The modification brought the track’s length up to 5.891 kilometres, the fourth longest on the calendar (after Spa, Vegas and Baku). Despite its length, eight pole laps set in 2025 were longer than Max Verstappen’s 1:24.892 at Silverstone, which speaks to just how fast the lap is.

Like all classic circuits, Silverstone’s corners are named rather than numbered. The sweeping bends of Abbey, Luffield, Brooklands, Copse, Maggots, Becketts and Stowe reward aerodynamics and driver bravery, while the Hamilton Straight, named for the seven-time world champion, as well as the Wellington and Hangar Straights, reward engines with plenty of grunt.

Given F1’s new regulations for 2026, we may see more cautious approaches to some of these corners, given the necessity to recharge the battery under braking. Hopefully that won’t detract from Silverstone’s charm.

Weather Forecast

The record-breaking heatwave in the UK is now behind us, so temperatures are back to the usual for this time of year. Friday and Saturday will see highs of 26 degrees Celsius, while it will be a shade warmer at 27 degrees by Sunday’s race.

Shockingly for a British summer, there is no rain on the radar!

Last year’s British Grand Prix was a rainy affair | Credit: Formula One

Major Talking Points

Home heroes continue title charge: Not since 1995, when Damon Hill and David Coulthard were runners-up to Michael Schumacher, have two of the top three in the Drivers’ Championship been British. 31 years on, and there is a pair of Brits once again sitting second and third, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton chasing Kimi Antonelli. In good news for Lando Norris, the fourth placed man in 1995 was also a Brit – Johnny Herbert – which will offer the McLaren driver hope of a revival after a tough start to the season.

With the reigning world champion and the winners of the last two races all hailing from the UK, recent form suggests a home victory is very possible. Kimi Antonelli might have something to say, though.

Development war continues: Red Bull were the big movers and shakers in Austria, bringing a host of upgrades to Spielberg including a raft of weight-saving measures. The team was rewarded with a second-placed finish for Max Verstappen at their home race.

Ferrari, on the other hand, brought seven upgrades, including one to the engine, but were absolutely nowhere last Sunday. However, the smaller turbo in the Ferrari power unit struggled at high altitude in the Austrian Alps, which may mean that the upgrades were not able to show their full effect.

McLaren experimented with a new rear wing during practice in Austria | Credit: Formula One

Meanwhile, McLaren trialled an upgraded front wing on Friday, but did not bring it into the race. Lando Norris said his team needs at least three upgrades to be competing at the front – that may be one of them. 

All four of the top teams will no doubt continue to try to out-develop each other, and it is impossible to predict who will be the next to take a big step forward.

Verstappen transfer saga: In what now appears to be an annual phenomenon, the rumour mill surrounding Max Verstappen’s Red Bull future has kicked into life. The Dutchman held talks with Mercedes about a potential move last year, before committing his future to Red Bull until the end of 2028.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff congratulated Verstappen on his podium in Austria | Credit: Formula One

However, fresh rumours emerged in Austria linking the four-time world champion with McLaren. Zak Brown has quashed these reports, though, pointing to the existing contracts of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and saying he would be “very surprised” if either of them were to move teams.

Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies has also denied the reports, stating that Verstappen has “made clear” that he wants to stay with the team.

Aston Martin pain almost over? It has been a disastrous campaign so far for Aston Martin, exacerbated by the team’s decision not to bring any upgrades. 

Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso have been the slowest drivers in Qualifying at the last three races | Credit: Formula One

The Silverstone outfit is instead planning to bring a host of upgrades in one fell swoop, with Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack stating that the team is “80% or 90%” of the way to seeing them on the car. Prior to the British Grand Prix, the team announced a “big upgrade” will appear in time for the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of July.

Front of the midfield battle heats up: Racing Bulls’ Team Principal Alan Permane was seen enjoying a jovial conversation with his opposite number at Alpine, Flavio Briatore, on the grid prior to the Austrian Grand Prix.

Both teams are locked in an enthralling battle to be “best of the rest” in the Constructors’ standings, but it was Permane’s outfit who left Austria bearing smiles. Racing Bulls took their third straight double-points finish in Spielberg, while Alpine failed to score for the first time this season. 

Racing Bulls enjoyed a third straight double points finish last weekend | Credit: Formula One

13 points now separate the two teams in the constructors’ standings, with Alpine sitting fifth and one place above Racing Bulls.

Past British Grands Prix

There’s plenty of material to go at when discussing past British Grands Prix, as the only ever-present event on the F1 calendar apart from the Italian Grand Prix.

The first British Grand Prix actually took place in 1926 at Brooklands, with Robert Sénéchal and Louis Wagner taking victory in a Delage 15 S 8.

Silverstone first hosted the event in 1948, the race won by Luigi Villoresi for Maserati. In 1950, the circuit hosted the first ever World Championship Grand Prix in front of reigning monarch King George VI, with Giuseppe Farina taking the chequered flag.

Between 1955 and 1962, the race alternated first between Aintree and Silverstone, before the latter began to share hosting duties with Brands Hatch instead. That arrangement stayed in place until 1987, and Silverstone has held every British Grand Prix since then.

Fittingly as the host of the sport’s first Grand Prix, Silverstone was selected as the venue for F1’s first sprint race in 2021. Max Verstappen won on that occasion, taking pole for Sunday’s Grand Prix. That race provided one of F1’s most famous opening laps, even if it is one that Verstappen would rather forget.

Title rivals Hamilton and Verstappen had an infamous collision in 2021 | Credit: Formula One

This week, the sprint format returns to Silverstone for the first time since then.

When it comes to success here, it goes without saying that nobody holds a candle to Lewis Hamilton. The home hero has recorded nine victories at Silverstone, the record for the most wins for a single driver at a single circuit. 

From his victory by over a minute in 2008 and his three-wheeled win in 2020, to his famous collision with Verstappen in 2021 and emotional triumph in 2024, the seven-time world champion certainly keeps it interesting en route to victory.

Hamilton inspects his punctured tyre after winning his home race in 2020 | Credit: Formula One

Such has been Hamilton’s dominance at home, no other driver has won more than once at the British Grand Prix since 2011 (although Verstappen also won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone in 2020). 

That bodes well for both Mercedes drivers, as neither has previously won here.

Lando Norris won in front of his home crowd 12 months ago, in a race also remembered for producing Nico Hülkenberg’s first ever podium.

Lando Norris won in front of his home crowd last year | Credit: Formula One

Drivers to Watch

Lewis Hamilton: It goes without saying that the nine-time winner at Silverstone is a man to watch this weekend. Hamilton has also stood on the podium on a further six occasions (including for a second place at the 2020 70th Anniversary Grand Prix). 

When the seven-time champion missed out on the podium last year during his first season with Ferrari, it was the first time he had done so since his first year with Mercedes in 2013. It didn’t turn out too badly for him after that, winning the next four British Grands Prix in a row. 

Fresh from his success in Barcelona and with a truly competitive car underneath, there is little doubt Hamilton will be at the sharp end again this weekend.

George Russell: The British Grand Prix has not previously been kind to George Russell. Since his debut in 2019, his record at his home race reads: 14th, 12th, 12th, DNF, 5th, DNF, 10th.

George Russell retired from the 2024 British Grand Prix after starting on pole | Credit: Formula One

The man from King’s Lynn took pole in front of his home crowd in 2024 but was robbed of a chance to fight for victory 2024 with a water leak, while teammate Hamilton took an iconic win.

He now is back within 40 points of Kimi Antonelli, having outscored the Italian by 28 points over the last two races. A long overdue strong performance at home could bring the gap down by a further chunk.

Nico Hülkenberg: The veteran Audi driver claimed a memorable first podium of his career at Silverstone last year, holding off Hamilton to take a top three finish at his 239th attempt.

Nobody has had to wait as long for a podium finish in Formula One as Nico Hülkenberg | Credit: Formula One

This year the brief for the veteran German is rather different, as he looks to crack the top ten for the first time in 2026. He and teammate Gabriel Bortoleto have finished 11th, 12th or 13th some 11 times between them so far this season, but have still not added to the Brazilian’s two points in Australia.

Session Times (BST)

The host of F1’s first sprint race in 2021, Silverstone will once again run to the alternative weekend schedule this year.

Practice 1: Fri 12:30-13:30

Sprint Quali: Fri 16:30-17:14

Sprint: Sat 12:00-13:00

Qualifying: Sat 16:00-17:00

Race: Sun 15:00

Written by Peter Johnson, edited by Liam Ploetner