Formula 1 arrives at Silverstone for this weekend’s British Grand Prix with the title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg re-stoked after their on-track clash in Austria.
Hamilton and Rosberg collided on the final lap of the race at the Red Bull Ring, prompting Mercedes to threaten that team orders may be used in the future to prevent a repeat of the incident.
Mercedes issued a statement on Thursday confirming that its drivers remain free to race for now, but that new deterrents have been made clear to both Hamilton and Rosberg.
With their battle set to rage on against this new context at Silverstone, the stage is set for a thrilling fight at one of grand prix racing’s spiritual homes.
You can read our full grand prix preview here, plus be sure to check out our TV times so you don’t miss a second of the action.
Here are our picks for the British Grand Prix – let us know your thoughts in the comments section!
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Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1)
Race Winner: Lewis Hamilton. Whether home advantage counts for anything or not, Hamilton will be the man to beat at Silverstone this weekend. He has won the race three times before and has all of the momentum following the clash in Austria. Victory here would act as another huge psychological gain as the summer break draws near.
Surprise Finish: Romain Grosjean. Tipping Haas for points may not seem so surprising given Grosjean finished seventh in Austria, but with the reality of F1 continuing to bite the team, it would be another big check-mark. The ability to run long on the hard tire may play into Grosjean’s hands on Sunday.
Most to Prove: Nico Rosberg. He’s the man who got the blame for the clash with Hamilton and has seen his championship lead shrink. Now Rosberg needs to get up for the fight and deal Hamilton a significant blow at Silverstone.
Additional Storyline: Home heroes. Hamilton will undoubtedly garner much of the home support at Silverstone this weekend, but both Jenson Button and Jolyon Palmer will be hoping to impress in front of the 120,000-strong crowd. With neither assured of their place on the F1 grid next year, it’s important they savor the race.
Predict the Podium
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes
3. Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
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Tony DiZinno (@tonydizinno)
Race Winner: Lewis Hamilton. Lewis. Silverstone. Momentum. Home crowd. Need I write or say more?
Surprise Finish: Carlos Sainz Jr. No reason in particular other than at a similar high tire deg track at Barcelona, Sainz scored an under appreciated sixth place that was overshadowed by former Toro Rosso teammate Max Verstappen winning the race. I’ll tip Sainz for a sixth, possible top-five this weekend.
Most to Prove: Nico Rosberg. Come on, Nico. After Austria you’ve gotta show that you beat Lewis on his home turf and reassert inter-team authority. Another loss here would be the latest blow to his campaign after his remarkable start.
Additional Storyline: Tight turnaround from Austria. It was noted elsewhere this week that the tight week of turnaround for the crews, teams and setups since Austria last week may make it tough this weekend in Silverstone. Will wear and tear have an effect?
Predict the Podium
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull
3. Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
