Great Britain 2015 FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX Great Britain Unfortunately, we are unable to play the video at this time. Error Code: UNKNOWN 1:33.401 by Mark Webber (2013) Fri 03 – Sun 05 Jul 2015 Practice 1 Next Previous 1 / 5 Race winner Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren celebrates on the podium. Formula One World Championship, Rd 9, British Grand Prix, Race, Silverstone, England, Sunday 6 July 2008. Damon Hill (GBR) Williams FW16 celebrates his win. British Grand Prix, Silverstone, 10 July 1994. Race winner Nigel Mansell (GBR) Williams FW11B caught and overtook his second placed team mate Nelson Piquet (BRA) in thrilling fashion. Formula One World Championship, Rd7, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, 12 July 1987.

Jackie Stewart (GBR), Matra Cosworth MS80, and Jochen Rindt (AUT), Lotus Cosworth 49B, traded places for the lead throughout the race until Rindt's wing endplate worked loose. British Grand Prix, Rd6, Silverstone, England. 19 July 1969. Bruce Mclaren (NZL) Cooper Climax T53 leads eventual race winner Jack Brabham (AUS) Cooper Climax T53. British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, 16 July 1960. Like so many of England's racing circuits, Silverstone started life as an aerodrome. When the Second World War ended in 1945, England's other two circuits, Donington Park and the legendary Brooklands, had fallen into disrepair. And so it was that the outer taxiways and interconnecting runways of Silverstone became adopted by the Royal Automobile Club as the home for the British Grand Prix in 1948. The circuit was fast and challenging and in 1949 the shape was formed that remains the basis of the track to this day.

When the Formula One World Championship was incepted in 1950, Silverstone held the very first round, won by Guiseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo. In 1951 the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) was handed the lease by the RAC, and huge modifications were made. The pits were moved to the straight between Woodcote and Copse, from the Farm straight where they had originally been, and a short circuit was built within the larger circuit, cutting from Becketts corner to Woodcote. From 1955 the British Grand Prix swapped venues between Aintree and Silverstone, but with the advent of the 1960s, Aintree fell out of favour and the race was switched between Silverstone and Brands Hatch. In 1971 the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) bought the entire 720 acre plot on which Silverstone sits and went about redeveloping the track. New pits were built and a chicane was erected at Woodcote which provided close finishes and great overtaking opportunities.

In 1987, with speeds reaching astounding levels, a corner was built before Woodcote, and in 1992 a new complex of corners was created between Farm and Woodcote. And in recent years various upgrades have been made to the track's facilities. A racing school now exists at the circuit and with government funding a new bypass has been built, greatly improving access to the once notoriously out-of-the-way venue. In 2010 came another major change to the circuit's Formula One layout, designed to further improve the venue for spectators and provide an even greater driver challenge. The new infield layout juts right at the reworked Abbey bend before heading into the new Arena complex of turns. This takes drivers on to the main straight of Silverstone’s National circuit, before rejoining the previous Grand Prix layout at Brooklands.

British Grand Prix 2015 REPORT - Lewis Hamilton wins in rain at Silverstone | Daily Mail Online British Grand Prix 2015 REPORT - Lewis Hamilton wins in rain at Silverstone Lewis Hamilton wins his third British Grand Prix at Silverstone The Brit finished ahead of Nico Rosberg at a wet British Grand Prix Sebastian Vettel claimed third place in his Ferrari Williams' Felipe Massa led the race but then finished fourth Jenson Button forced to retire on first lap after a crash comments Lewis Hamilton won an incident-packed British Grand Prix to claim back-to-back victories on home soil. The world champion finished ahead of Nico Rosberg at a rain-hit Silverstone on Sunday to extend his lead over his Mercedes team-mate to 17 points in the championship. But the race was far from straightforward for the 30-year-old home favourite who had to overcome a poor start, and two rain showers, to seal his fifth victory from nine races this season. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel claimed the final spot on the podium ahead of Felipe Massa, who led the opening phase of the race, and his Williams team-mate Valtteri Bottas. Relive all the action as it happened here...

Sunni Upal 14:48 That's a wrap... Hamilton all smiles on the top step as God Save The Queen is played at Silverstone. Fans rush onto the racetrack to catch a glimpse of the podium. It's been a great day at Silverstone and good to see the sun back out now the race has finished. That's all from me today. Stay tuned to the website for more reaction to today's race. Goodbye! Lewis Hamilton celebrates victory at the British Grand Prix 14:40 Hamilton on team radio: 'I am so happy with that. Thank you to all the fans for coming. That one was for you.' There were 140,000 fans here today and most of them will go home happy. Hamilton tries to do a donut for some fans, but he pulls out when realising he will need this engine again. 14:34 Lewis Hamilton wins the British Grand Prix A third win at Silverstone for Lewis Hamilton and he extends his lead over Rosberg in the standings to 17 points. He was behind the Williams' for the first part of the race but times his undercut very well and never looked back.

Rosberg takes second, a good recovery from him partly aided by the rain, while Vettel has taken a very good third place. Williams are the big losers today finishing in fourth and fifth. Bottas had a great chance to win this race, but he ended a whole minute off the leader. Fernando Alonso in 10th also gets his first points of the season. 14:32 Lap 51 A bit of rain to end the race as well, but Hamilton is taking no chances with his gear shifting. He's almost there... 14:29 Lap 49 Four laps to go ans Hamilton looks to be cruising now, he is nine seconds ahead of team-mate Rosberg. Vettel still has to hold off Massa for third and has a three-second gap. Jonathan McEvoy reports: 'Credit to Mercedes for perfect strategy calls. None of the horrors of Monaco.' 14:26 Lap 48 Bottas is 48 seconds behind the leader in fifth place. He will be wondering what on earth has gone wrong when 80 minutes ago he was the fastest car on the track and should have been given the all clear to overtake Massa for the lead.

Alonso, meanwhile, is in the points in 10th place - these could be his first points of the season. Lewis Hamilton makes his way past a stand packed with British fans 14:24 Lap 47 You cannot beat a bit of luck and timing in a situation like this. Hamilton pitted for intermediates 10 seconds before it really started raining and Vettel was close behind. It's worked out incredibly well for those two. As it stands Hamilton is eight seconds ahead of Rosberg, who is a further 16 seconds clear of Vettel. 14:22 Lap 46 Vettel has played a blinder in the rain. He pitted on the right lap as did Hamilton (lap 43) and that extra lap that the two Williams drivers stayed out has cost them dearly. The German is up into third place in his Ferrari. Next question is how long do we need these tyres for? Will we need the full wets soon, or will we go back to slicks? Six laps to go...

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 5, 2015 13:56 Lap 32 Alonso is now told that there will be rain in 15-20 minutes and it could be quite heavy. Reports that it is raining in areas around Silverstone such as Brackley. Hamilton pitted on lap 20, which means he would have to go 32 laps on this set of tyres to get to the end. It's a bit of an ask, but the rain will change that. 13:53 Lap 29 - rain on the way Bottas still on the tail of his team-mate Massa in second and third place respectively. His engineer is doing all he can to keep the driver motivated by telling him his tyre wear is much better and he can get him later. Rosberg is told rain is expected in 15 minutes. That would spice things up nicely. 13:47 Lap 26 Hamilton is now four seconds clear and looking comfortable. He asks his team if he needs to increase the gap any more, suggesting he is more than happy he has the pace whenever he needs.

There's a good scrap for the podium in behind Hamilton with three men fighting for two stops, but it looks like it will take a major twist to stop Hamilton winning here... maybe a bit of rain? The Brit was told there is a threat of rain in 30 minutes. 13:45 Lap 24 Rosberg in fourth and told to go to Plan B, so that would suggest a two-stop strategy. The problem is that he can't push on on these tyres just yet because he has two Williams cars in front of him. Hamilton's lead then is 3.5 seconds over Massa. Not sure what is going through Bottas' head at the moment. Had he been given the green light to overtake Massa at the start of the race he may well have opened up a considerable gap and then pitted first. Massa now told this is straight fight with all cars around him, including Bottas. A bit late for that message. 13:42 Lap 22 Lewis Hamilton takes the lead of the British Grand Prix as Bottas pits and the crowd erupts. Bottas comes out in the middle of the scrap between Massa and Rosberg behind, but manages to hold onto third place.

Top four order: Hamilton, Massa, Bottas, Rosberg. 13:40 Lap 21 Massa and Rosberg in at the end of lap 20. That means Bottas is the only many who hasn't pitted from the top four. Massa comes out just inches in front of Rosberg, but Hamilton goes through into second place, so the undercut worked very well for the Mercedes driver. Bottas has been hung out to dry here. He will pit and come back out in fourth place. He should have been leading and had the first call of pit stops. Williams drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas led the first part of the race 13:38 Lap 20 Lewis Hamilton pits. The lead Mercedes comes in and puts the softer tyres on. It was an excellent stop as well at 2.4 seconds and he comes out in front of the Force India of Perez, just. The undercut is possible now, let's see how Williams respond. 13:36 A weather twist?

BREAKING: Weather reports saying that there is rain coming down in Oxford, which is 30 miles away from @SilverstoneUK #BritishGP — Formula 1 (@F1) July 5, 2015 13:36 Lap 19 The gap between the top four is less than two seconds again. Hamilton looks like he is happy to sit back and see how this plays out. He knows Mercedes are faster in clear air. Can't help feeling that Williams have missed a trick here. Massa has not been able to extend the lead over Mercedes out in front whereas Bottas looks like he has the pace to. 13:33 Lap 17 Bottas still trying to find a way past Massa, but the Brazilian is driving very well. These 17 laps that Bottas has been behind his team-mate could have cost him a healthy lead and a race victory. The two-stop strategy is now being used by both Ferraris. Raikkonen has just set the fastest lap of the race, but it looks like a race for fifth at the moment with the top four going so well.

13:30 Lap 15 Mercedes in the pit lane, but they come back into the garage. Maybe they were just trying to trick Williams into pitting and changing strategy. A pit stop now would change from a one-stop to a two-stop strategy, which is not what Mercedes want. Hamilton is now out of DRS range, and so is Rosberg 1.2 seconds behind his team-mate. Didn't expect this. 13:28 Lap 14 Bottas still behind Massa but Williams are still faster than Mercedes. Hamilton cannot make use of DRS because Bottas has it as well on Massa. This could go two ways if Bottas overtakes Massa. If he proves he is faster and pulls away it could go a long way towards a race win for Williams. But if Massa is considerably slower, then he would be vulnerable to Hamilton and Rosberg and could miss out on a podium. Pit stops have started. Have seen Ricciardo and Raikkonen in for stops so far.

13:24 Lap 12 Once again Bottas is told 'do not race your team-mate', and the Finn responds with 'I have more pace, I can overtake on the back straight.' The next message to Bottas is that 'it has to be a very clean move and you have to pull away when you're in front.' Bottas is still behind Massa, though. Will Massa be told by his team again that he has to move aside? 13:22 Lap 10 Williams tell both their team-mates over the radio that they are not racing each other, they are working together to pull away from the Mercedes pair. Bottas is not happy as he feels he has more pace and is in the clutches of the Mercedes pair. Bottas had a go at Massa down the outside into Stowe, so he is not following these team orders. Williams duo Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas lead the British Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in third and fourth 13:20 Lap 9 DRS has really bunched up the top four here with just 2.3 seconds separating the quartet.

Massa now half a second ahead of Bottas with Hamilton six tenths behind. 13:18 Lap 8 DRS is enabled, and that is good news for Bottas as he is able to close in on Massa while also keeping Hamilton at bay. Raikkonen in sixth is also all over the back of fifth-placed Hulkenburg. 13:16 Lap 6 A fastest lap from Feliper Massa out front and both he and Bottas are looking very comfortable. The gap between the two is just over a second while Hamilton is 0.9 behind Bottas in third. 13:14 — MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) July 5, 2015 12:50 A word on Jenson... Suggestions that this could be Button's last British Grand Prix, and it's not one he will look back on fondly. Amazingly, the 2009 world champion as never been on the podium at Silverstone and that record is not under threat today as he starts from 18th on the grid. He's still smiling for the fans, though, and trying to be positive.

A few moments ago, he told Sky Sports: 'It's a beautiful day and there are a lot of people in the stands. It could be better - I could be 18 places further up but I'm not so you deal with it and go and have fun.' Alesha Dixon has just sang the national anthem, and we are very close now to the start of the race. McLaren driver Jenson Button signs autographs for fans 12:37 Pit lane open... So the cars are now free to make their way to the grid, but it didn't go too well for Sauber's Felipe Nasr, who has stopped on the track. He has been there for a few minutes now with no sign of movement... doesn't look good. 12:24 Celeb spotting... Always a few famous faces from the world of showbiz and sport floating around at a grand prix. Here's a few that we've seen early on at Silverstone...

Skiier Lindsey Vonn poses in the Red Bull garage Ex-Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia Lewis Hamilton wins 2015 British Grand Prix - CNN.com Read: F1 title standings Elated Hamilton "I'm so elated," said Hamilton, who dedicated the win to the British fans, from the top step of the podium. "It's a very special weekend for me. "I started to tear up on that last lap. I was gunning the whole way and I really just wanted to do it for you guys. I'm going to keep pushing for this championship." The drama began in the opening scenes of the grand prix when Williams duo Felipe Massa and Valterri Bottas swooped past pole-sitter Hamilton off the line. Eager to wrestle back position, Hamilton stuck to the inside line and passed Bottas for second at the third corner. GUYS!!! What an amazing RACE!! Thank you all for the incredible support, you all are amazing. IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME!!!

pic.twitter.com/oB3fuDtUI9 — Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) July 5, 2015 But the Mercedes man slid back to third when he locked up his tires and ran wide onto the grass as he attempted to retake the lead from Massa. As the two Williams engaged in an exciting fight at the front, Hamilton stuck to his own race and pitted for fresh rubber on lap 19. Fastest lap When he came back onto Silverstone's snaking high-speed circuit he went full throttle, setting the fastest lap of the race at the time. The Williams had to respond to Hamilton's pit stop with Massa coming in on lap 20 and Bottas on lap 21, but by the time they rejoined the fray Hamilton had clean air in front. The world champion, who was born just 50 miles [80km] from the famous circuit, looked to be cruising to victory with a healthy lead when a dose of typically British weather decided to interrupt his fun. Read: Hamilton takes pole at Silverstone "I could see the weather getting worse and worse and I thought 'please don't rain!'" he said.

Hamilton slithered off the circuit at the 265kph Copse corner as the rain began to dance off the asphalt. But the British racer, and his teammate Rosberg, decided to risk staying on the faster dry-weather tires as long as they could. Changeable conditions Toto Wolff's face, as he gingerly watched his Mercedes drivers negotiate the changeable conditions, was a picture. Hamilton, however, was in control, and another perfectly timed pit stop was the key to his victory. The world champion made the decision from the cockpit of his car to come in for the intermediate tires, used in wet weather, on lap 43. Rosberg, Massa and Bottas pitted at the end of the next lap -- but it was one lap too late to catch Hamilton. "I think it's the first time in my Formula One career that I made the perfect choice about coming in," he explained. "I could see more rain coming. It was one of the trickiest races I've had here." A frustrating day for Williams got even worse when the popular team, based in Britain, was denied a place on the podium.

As Rosberg rejoined the race in second place, Massa and Bottas emerged from the pit lane staring at the rear of Vettel's scarlet racer in fourth and fifth respectively, where they ultimately finished. "It is a frustrating result because the race was amazing today," said Massa. "I had a fantastic start and we were fighting with Mercedes. "It could even have been possible to win the race if it had stayed dry but it was a shame to have lost position in the rain." Vettel had stopped for the wet-weather tires at the same time as Hamilton to gain track position in his Ferrari. Vettel good fortune "Without the rain, we would not be on the podium," the German commented. "We kept our head down and were patient to wait until it poured down. "That's England for us, a couple of minutes later you have sunshine." There was also a bright note for two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who grabbed his first point of a difficult season for CNN-sponsored McLaren. The Spaniard finished 10th despite a first-lap incident with teammate Jenson Button, which unfortunately put him out of his home race. "I know that it was important for the team morale and the motivation of everyone," Alonso said.

"To put some points on the table is always important." Long after the checkered flag had fallen and the drivers finished their media interviews, the British fans stayed gathered at the finish line, waving flags and banners in homage to Hamilton. The end credits may have rolled on another Hamilton thriller but his loyal fans remain eager for a sequel at the next race in Hungary on 26th July. British Grand Prix 2015: Lewis Hamilton battles to victory in the rain - as it happened - Telegraph Formula One British Grand Prix 2015: Lewis Hamilton battles to victory in the rain - as it happened British Grand Prix 2015 - Latest lap-by-lap, news update, live match report and result from Silverstone, on Sunday, July 5, at 13:00 BST Out in front: Lewis Hamilton starts on pole for British Grand Prix Photo: PA 3:17PM BST 05 Jul 2015 Latest HAMILTON WINS BRITISH GRAND PRIX IN THE RAIN WRAP So F1 is boring, hey? Try telling that to the 140,000-strong fans at Silverstone and the global audience who watched the dramatic race here.

When Hamilton lost the lead at the opening corner and the late rain threw another sting in the tail, it looked like it might not be the world champion's day. But a fantastic call to enter the pits before his rivals proved to be a masterstroke and delivered Hamilton a third triumph on home turf. Thanks for joining me today. Let me point you in the direction of our race report to take in the highlights of the day . Goodbye. 15.17 15.06 Here's a great stat: Hamilton has led for at least a single lap in each of the last 18 GPs - a new record. He beats Jackie Stewart's 17 races between 1968-1970. 14.51 Toto Wolffe reveals it was Hamilton's call to make that dramatic late pit stop and to move onto the intermediates. 14.47 Italy's Frankie Dettori is the podium interviewer. As usual, he's a bundle of energy. Lewis is pleased to see him, but the Briton probably doesn't care who is interviewing him up there today. I am so elated you cannot imagine.

I teared up on the last lap hoping I could do it for all the guys. Thanks for all the support. Now let's party." Rosberg is gracious in defeat. "I was pushing hard to try and catch Lewis under difficult conditions but he made the better call and that is where I lost it. Fair play to him." 14.38 Hamilton delights the fans with some 'donuts' in front of the grandstands who have taken down their brollies and put their sunglasses back on. The Briton has become the first driver since our very own David Coulthard to win successive British GPs. 14.36 Hamilton is first Briton to win from pole at Silverstone since 1994. The delighted Briton comes over the Mercedes radio: "I'm so happy with that. Thank you to all the fans. That one was for you". After what happened back in Monaco earlier this season, I'm sure he must've been wondering whether his team had made the right call to bring him in and change to the intermediates. Lap 52/52 It's looking good for Hamilton here on the final lap as the sunshine starts to emerge from the grey skies.

It was a brave move to come in and change to intermediates during that early rain, but it's proved a masterstroke. HAMILTON WINS BRITISH GRAND PRIX. Rosberg finishes second and Vettel is third. Hamilton stretches lead over Rosberg to 17 points in race for world title. Lap 51/52 There's a mixture of grey clouds on one side of the track with blue skies over the start. It's tricky conditions out there for the drivers, but the moisture is starting to dry up on the track. Hamilton should have his third win here in the bag. Lap 50/52 Hamilton is closing on back marker Stevens while Bottas isn't a happy bunny back in fifth place after a frustrating afternoon which had offered so many hope at the start of the day. Lap 49/52 Raikkonen enters the pits and a new set of intermediates are installed. He's back out in eighth so hasn't lost any time. Alonso is still holding on to 10th and remains ahead of Ericsson, Stevens and Mehr. Further light rain is forecast for the finale.

Lap 48/52 Ferrari looked out of it this weekend, but the rain has helped Vettel at the best possible time. It hasn't helped out Raikkonen who remains further down the track. Hamilton still has a 9.7sec lead on Rosberg. Vettel is another 26secs back on the race leader. Stevens has lost his front wing after spinning on and striking the barrier. Fair play to him to keep his Marussia still running. Lap 47/52 Rosberg is told "we could still do something here" by his Mercedes team. He'll have to go some though. Alonso has edged his way up to 10th and is now in the points. Lap 46/52 It's heavy rain now. There's plenty of spray as Hamilton leads again with an incredible 9sec gap on his Mercedes team-mate. Vettel, who hasn't really featured in this race and has been back in sixth for most of it, has somehow found his way up to third. Lap 45/52 The rain is starting to come down hard now. Hamilton eases his way past Bottas to move up to second.

Rosberg now enters the pits to change to the intermediates like the Briton. Where will he come out? He rejoins in second with Vettel now up to THIRD. Lap 44/52 Hamilton comes into the pits, leaving Rosberg out there. He changes to inters, he feels the rain is getting worse. It's a brave decision by someone at Mercedes. It didn't work out at Monaco. Rosberg remains out there. Vettel is also into the pits and changing to intermediates. Rosberg now leads! Hamilton is back in third and has to pass Massa. Lap 43/52 There's a mini-battle going on for fith place between Raikkonen and Kvyat. We're expecting more rain in around four minutes or so for the final six or seven laps of the race. Rosberg is closing on Hamilton. The German is flying out there. Lap 42/52 Raikkonen is staying out there on the intermediates even though the rain has dried up. Alonso, back in 11th could yet finish in the points here today which would be a fantastic effort and richly deserved for what has been a horrible season.

There's only 13 cars left out there. Lap 41/52 Rosberg is now chasing down Massa. He has 11 laps to get past him. He only needs half a lap as he eases his way past the Brazilian. It's now a Mercedes one-two leading this British GP. Where Bottas had struggled to pass his team-mate, Rosberg made it look so straightforward. Lap 40/52 Rosberg makes his move on Bottas during a wet part of the track. He's finally past the Finn and up to third. Hamilton still leads by 6.7secs but had quite a slip up which he had to correct. Mercedes tell Hamilton that there will be another shower in five minutes but is most likely to be light again. Lap 39/52 Hamilton opts to stay out on the same tyres. Vettel takes on Raikkonen and passes his Ferrari team-mate to move up to fifth. Raikkonen shoots off down to the pits and obviously feels it's too slippy out there. He's banking on there being more rain. Alonso has also been in and put on intermediates.

Lap 38/52 Hamilton has a 7.3sec advantage over Massa while Bottas is being urged to stay out there by Williams. There's heavy rain in certain parts of the track which is making for some great racing for spectators watching the drivers slip and slide when they hit the moisture. Lap 37/52 It's just a shower but Ferrari are getting themselves set in the garage. Hamilton tells his Mercedes team that the rain has stopped. Lap 36/52 Spectators are grabbing hold and opening their brollies, it's just light rain as yet which is troubling fans in the granstands. There's some activity in the garages. The track is slowly getting a bit more moisture. Massa takes a little slip during the final turn. Bottas comes on the radio to tell Williams that he "needs to stop". Lap 35/52 The drivers will be instructed once the virtual safety car has been removed with a green light on their dashboard. They can't put the foot on the gas, until they receive the green light. Meanwhile, the rain is coming, it's coming. The virtual safety car is removed, racing is under way again.

Lap 34/52 Hamilton will be wise to the virtual safety car after slowing up too much at Monaco early this season. Verstappen speaks of his cut-short afternoon. "It wasn't my weekend. For Carlos too it's a big shame, but we'll come back stronger in the next race." Lap 33/52 Rain is likely to hit "the pit area first", McLaren believe. Sainz is grinding to a halt on the track. He pulls up on the side of the track on the last bend. He'll have to be rolled off to safety. The marshalls get their sprinting boots on to help him out. The virtual safety car is out. It means all the drivers have to go at a slower pace and no overtaking is allowed. Lap 32/52 Sainz and Perez both lock up in the battle for ninth with the former edging the Force India driver. Perez had to correct his rear to stay on track. He could've been put off by Sainz' lock-up in front. Lap 31/52 Rosberg is told to "give it everything" as if the German isn't doing so anyway.

Hamilton still holds a five second lead on Massa. Lap 30/52 The rain now looks to be about "15-20 minutes" away, according to McLaren which would mean a third stop for Alonso today. Rosberg remains frustrated by Bottas in front of him. Raikkonen is 12 seconds back off him in fifth so won't trouble the Mercedes. Lap 29/52 Ricciardo says that his issue was 'mechanical'. They tried a reset, but the Aussie says they'll have a few weeks off now and come Hungary he hopes for better things. Hamilton improves on his last best to set the new fastest lap time. Lap 28/52 It's starting to get more and more gloomy out there as Rosberg remains behind Bottas. Merhi has now been lapped by Hamilton with the Briton now in pursuit of Stevens. Lap 27/52 Bottas is still just 1.1sec off his Williams team-mate as the clouds turn a darker shade of grey. Bottas appears to be getting slightly frustrated by being held back by Massa but Williams want the duo to continue racing.

Lap 26/52 Alonso, who has made two stops, is back at 12th. There are 14 cars still out there with Stevens and Merhi bringing up the rear. Hamilton has a 4sec lead on Massa. Lap 25/52 Pat Symonds said that Hamilton produced a "stunning" lap to get his nose in front following that pit stop. The Williams chief ex thinks the incoming rain could provide a twist, mind. Lap 24/52 Williams instruct Massa that "we're racing until the end". So with no further stops planned, Bottas can attempt to pass Massa for the second time this afternoon. He hasn't had too much joy in achieving that mission yet. Ricciardo has his smile wiped off his face temporarily as he removes his helmet and enters the garage. There's a threat of raining coming in about 30 minutes, but Hamilton usually relishes the wet stuff as he sets the fastest lap on what remains a dry track. Lap 23/52 It's game over for Ricciardo who enters the pits but watches on as his Red Bull is rolled away.

Massa now has a 3.2sec lead on Massa. Bottas is a further 0.9secs back. Rosberg is out of the podium places at the moment, Raikkonen is back in fifth. Lap 22/52 Hamilton is pulling away at the front now which will be a tough pill for Rosberg to swallow back in fourth. The German is told by Mercedes that they're going to "Plan B" which is likely to mean a second stop. Lap 21/52 Just coming in a lap early really did the job for Hamilton. Bottas leads the race, but he's yet to make a stop. The Finn does now make his stop. It's a fantastic stop but where will he come out? He emerges from the pits but HAMILTON REGAINS THE LEAD. Lap 20/52 Hamilton, is actually back out in fourth, he's on the hard tyres now and can probably end the race on them. We wait to see how the Williams will respond. Massa and Rosberg both join Hamilton in making their stops. It's tight as the duo leave the pits side-by-side, Massa just nips through.

Hamilton has moved into second. Lap 19/52 Raikkonen closes in on the Sauber of Ericsson. He's all over the back of him but is being frustrated by the Sauber and has to bide his time. The cheers go up from the grandstand as Hamilton enters the pits. He's away in a flash. He entered in third and returns in fourth. Lap 18/52 Alonso comes in for his second stop and a change of tyres. It's a speedy get away. He's back on the medium tyres. Bottas tries to shoot past Massa on the inside. It's a bold move, but the Brazilian catches sight of his team-mate in his wing mirror and prevents him from cutting through. The last thing the two want is to collide. Kvyat also comes into the pits and rejoins back in 10th. Lap 17/52 Ricciardo is losing power out there but remains 13th. Bottas almost has his front tyres alongside the rear of Massa's but he still isn't able to nip in front of his Williams team-mate. We're expecting a single stop from the leading pack.

Lap 16/52 Alonso is likely to be on a two-stop strategy as Raikkonen sets the fastest lap back in ninth spot. Ericsson is the main to overtake ahead of him. The gap at the front between Massaand Bottas remains 0.3secs. Lap 15/52 Ricciardo and Sainz are among a few cars including Raikkonen to have made an early stop. Alonso remains out there after that very early and delayed pit stop for a first lap collision with Button. Lap 14/52 The Mercedes garage are getting set in the pits. It turns out to be a dummy-drill, hoping to force Williams to make an early stop. Their joker doesn't work. Massa and Bottas stay out, as do the Mercedes pair and the engineers head back to their chairs for the time being. Lap 13/52 Bottas still doesn't get a clear look to make a move on Massa. Raikkonen heads into the pits from sixth place. He re-enters back at 11th.

Lap 12/52 A note on Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo who is back at unlucky for some 13th. His team-mate Kvyat is having slightly better luck and is up at seventh. Hamilton is dropping back off Bottas who remains second. Lap 11/52 Massa won't make things easy for Bottas but he won't surrend the lead. Pay Symonds says that Williams' way is to "let the drivers' race" even though it gets the heart "pumping quite a bit". Who said Formula One was boring? Sensational start to the British Grand Prix. Some very ill-judged attacking moves by Hamilton there. Needs to be a bit more circumspect in the next few laps.. Lap 10/52 Bottas wants Williams to allow him pass Massa and move up front. "It has to be a clean move", Bottas it told. Lap 9/52 Bottas is trying to take on Massa. Williams don't want the duo to get into a scrap and this could play into Hamilton and Mercedes' hands. Bottas is clearly the quicker of the two Williams' out there.

Lap 9/52 Vettel has moved up to eighth after passing Perez. We have 15 cars racing out there with Marussia's Merhi the back marker. Lap 8/52 Rosberg now sets the fastest lap as the Mercedes duo close on the Williams pair. Button speaks of his opening lap KO: "I love coming back here, whatever the result. I enjoy the circuit, but it doesn't work out for me very often." Gracious, as usual in defeat our Jenson. Lap 7/52 Massa still holds just a slight advantage on team-mate Bottas with Hamilton 0.9secs back, but he's bearing down on the Finn. How long can the Williams hold on? Lap 6/52 Ferrari haven't been able to make inroads despite the collisions and slow starts. They clearly have little pace themselves. Vettel, back in ninth, is being instructed by his team to look after his front left tyre. Lap 5/52 Verstappen, Grosjean, Maldonado, Button and Nasr are all out. Alonso is still running but at the back of the race.

A replay of Hamilton's attempted overtake on Massa shows how the Briton did just oversteer to run off line which allowed Bottas through. Lap 4/52 Massa sets the fastest lap and is 0.7s ahead of his team-mate Bottas in second. They have the speed, but do they have the pace to stay in front. Verstappen becomes the fifth car to be retired. The stewards will look into a collision between Grosjean and Button on the opening lap. Strange, seeing as replays suggest both Lotus' and both McLarens had clashed. Lap 4/52 So running order now is Massa, Hamilton, Bottas, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen, Kvyat, Vettel, Perez, Sainz. The safety car is in. Hamilton attempts to make a move on Massa. He goes wide off the track and slips behind Bottas. Max Verstappen now beaches Toro Rosso. What drama at the start of this British GP! Massa now leads Bottas with Hamilton back in third. Lap 3/52 Have just seen a replay of the start.

So the two Lotus' of Grosjean and Maldonado collided at the opening corner. There also seemed to be a coming together of the two McLaren's with Button coming off worse. The Briton had been so excited beforehand. He wouldn't have expected his afternoon to be over so quickly. The safety car remains out. Lap 2/52 Fernando Alonso is now into the pits too. Pastor Maldonado has pulled up at the side of turn two. 'Switch the car off', he's told. Alonso, after what must seem like an age in the pits, finally gets away. Lap 1/52 Lights out and the Williams of Massa and Bottas nip past Hamilton and Rosberg from the start. Massa, starting from third moved inbetween the two Mercedes to steal the lead. Button is off at the first turn. His day could be up already. The safety car is out. The cars slow done. Romain Grosjean walks away from his stranded car too. That's two retirements in the opening lap. 12.59 Frankie Dettori has been chatting on the grid to Bernie Ecclestone. Both roughly the same height.

The formation lap is now underway and then it will be lights out. 12.55 Britain's love affair with F1 is still alive and kicking. But what about the rest of the world? How does the sport solve the Formula One crisis? Well Daniel Johnson has produced a special report to get to the bottom of the problem which focuses on the leadership, cars, drivers, rules and the cost. Here's a snippet: There was a worrying statistic in a survey of more than 200,000 fans, published this week. It found that just 43 per cent believe F1 is a collection of the finest drivers in the world. The issue of pay drivers is a concern. It saps belief that who drives where is decided by the strength of their talent. For instance, both Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson forced their way into Sauber with sponsorship deals of £15 million a year each. This has always been a feature of Formula One, but it has grown more extreme. Read the full report here. 12.47 Alesha Dixon sings the national anthem. Yes, her off Britain's Got Talent.

She used to be a pop star back in the day though but surely we've got bigger names we could've turned to, no? A Spice Girls reunion might've been more apt. She gives it the performance of her lifetime, it's no 'does he wash up?'... I had no idea she had that in her, so full props to Aleasha Dixon. That was a surprise! #BritishGP — Natasha Henry (@NatashaSHenry) July 5, 2015 Question why was Alesha Dixon singing the national anthem with an American accent? or is that just me? — Thef1Taxi (@F1taxi) July 5, 2015 12.40 Christian Horner's better-half Geri Halliwell has brought along a former Spice Girl to enjoy the sights and sounds backstage today. Other famous faces around include skier Lindsay Vonn, singer Will Young and er, Sami Hyypia. 12.27 Williams have got their act together and are starting to put the heat on Ferrari to fight for second in the contructors' title.

Felipe Massa starts third alongside his younger team-mate Valtteri Bottas in a real Noah's Ark grid. Ferrari will be disappointed with their mid-season slip with Kim Raikkonen edging in front of Sebastian Vettel. Jenson Button has spoken of his "excitement" this morning to be lining up at Silverstone again this season, even if the McLaren's are back in 17th and 18th with their torrid season showing no sign of improving any time soon. Here's the grid line-up in it's entirety. 1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 2. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 3. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 4. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes 5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 6. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 7. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) RedBull - Renault 8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso - Renault 9. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes 10.

Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) RedBull - Renault 11. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India - Mercedes 12. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus - Mercedes 13. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Toro Rosso - Renault 14. Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Lotus - Mercedes 15. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber - Ferrari 16. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber - Ferrari 17. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 18. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 19. Will Stevens (Britain) Marussia - Ferrari 20. Roberto Merhi (Spain) Marussia - Ferrari Interactive: Silverstone F1 12.14 Our F1 correspondent Daniel Johnson has donned his weather hat to bring you the latest conditions at Silverstone. Gloomy skies for the 140,000 crammed in here, but they're still in high spirits. Traffic was the usual carnage on the way in to the circuit. Silverstone can be forgiven. Unlike one drunken individual who made a mess in their Lakeside hospitality on Friday afternoon.

Other guests, paying as much as £1,500 for the weekend, were horrified. It was swiftly cleaned up, thank goodness. Race day. A bit cloudy and cool, but I'm feeling good. Love seeing the support here, thank you! #TeamLH #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/PXpFYa0jjz — Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) July 5, 2015 12.00 Afternoon all and welcome to coverage of the British Grand Prix were Lewis Hamilton is bidding for a hat-trick of titles at Silverstone. The current world champion will have to get off to a better start than in Austria and Spain where poor getaways allowed team-mate Nico Rosberg to win two of his three races this year. Hamilton has gone back to an old clutch setting to rectify the problem and has been practicising his starts from the pits, but nothing can emulate the start of an actual grand prix, especially one in front of your home support. The Briton won here last time out, who are you backing to top the podium come 2.30pm-ish? Email your thoughts and predictions to me at vicki.hodges@telegraph.co.uk.

10.00 Nico Rosberg hopes the hand of history will help him beat Lewis Hamilton to the top step on the podium in today's British Grand Prix. Rosberg will start behind Hamilton after the Briton delighted a 110,000-strong crowd at Silverstone by claiming his eighth pole from nine races this year. Hamilton, who leads Rosberg by 10 points in the championship heading into his home race, was 0.113 seconds faster than his Mercedes team-mate on Saturday. But bizarrely only four of the last 20 pole-sitters have won the British Grand Prix. And on the two occasions Hamilton has triumphed at Silverstone - in his second campaign in 2008, and again last year - it hasn't been from the front of the grid. Indeed Hamilton started from pole here in his debut season and again in 2013, but finished third and fourth respectively.

Informed of the statistic in his post-qualifying media briefing, Rosberg said: "That is incredible and that is why I was quite happy not to be on pole today." With a broad grin on his face, Rosberg, who celebrated his 30th birthday earlier this week, added: "I know those statistics and the chances are much bigger to win the race from second so I am quite pleased with that today." Hamilton secured his third pole at Silverstone in his first outing of the top-10 shootout. Neither he nor Rosberg improved on their laps in their final runs. "The first lap was really good, so I was sure that I would be ahead of Lewis and I was disappointed to see that he was one tenth ahead of me," said Rosberg. But the German, who was fastest in both practice sessions on Friday, remains confident he can upset the home crowd on Sunday. "This weekend was one of the biggest differences in terms of long-run pace over a practice session on Friday," he said. "Lewis was struggling quite a lot there so that is another hope that I have.

It could be another thing which helps me." Vicki Hodges will be here from midday to bring you build up and live coverage British F1 Grand Prix 2015 live stream: Watch online Formula 1 racing | Christian News on Christian Today British F1 Grand Prix 2015 live stream: Watch online Formula 1 racing Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it Next Post >> x To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The F1 British Grand Prix 2015 takes place on Sunday and will see Lewis Hamilton look to get his title campaign back on track with a win in front of his home supporters. However, Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg has looked good through practice and he will be a significant threat yet again to Hamilton's hopes of winning the Silverstone Grand Prix. Today's Formula 1 race has a scheduled start time of 1 p.m. BST (8 a.m. ET) and can be watched online through live stream via the link below. Reuters Hamilton will start the race on pole again after making big strides on the course through the few days of practice.

He has looked off pace at the start and had expressed concerns that he was struggling to get maximum speed out of his car early on. But he and his team has turned things around in time and he stormed to pole position ahead of Rosberg in the qualifying. A massive 140,000 Formula 1 fans are expected to attend the race at Silverstone and Hamilton has said that he desperately wants to win the race for the home supporters. Hamilton's pole position means he will have started 8 of the 9 races this season from the front of the grid, however, despite his dominance he has just a 10 point lead over team mate Rosberg. Hamilton has said, "Today hopefully I did them proud and I am going to do everything I can to make them even happier tomorrow." Advertisement The Briton's lead over Rosberg was significant, and by the end of qualifying he had beaten Rosberg by 0.113 seconds, sparking wild celebrations among the 105,000 fans who came out on Saturday. Hamilton has won his home Grand Prix twice before, in 2008 and 2014, and a victory this weekend would be his fifth of the season.

He said, "Every year I have come here it has always been special. What's really encouraging is you see such a large group of people and so much support and you realise no matter whatever negative comment or opinion there may be at a particular point during the year, these fans are avid racing fans and they are here no matter what. That is great to see. I am so grateful to see the sheer support there is here for the Brits." Silverstone is the race track that hosted the very first Formula 1 World Championship race in 1950, and even though it has been updated in various ways, the course is still very much still recognisable as the same one that kicked off things in that iconic race more than 60 years ago. But Hamilton will be weary of this track and its record of not having pole position starters finishing first. Only three times in the last 17 years has the racer from pole finished first, and that has given great encouragement to Rosberg. Rosberg said, "That's incredible and that's why I was quite happy not to be on pole today because I know those statistics and the chances are much bigger to win the race from second! This week was one of the biggest differences on long-run pace.

Lewis was struggling quite a lot so that's another hope I have, although his set-up has changed quite a lot since. Lewis has two laps on the tyres he is starting the race with and that is another small thing that can help." Today's British Grand Prix 2015 has a scheduled start time of 1 p.m. BST (8 a.m. ET) and can be watched online through live stream by clicking here . F1: Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix – as it happened! | Sport | The Guardian Formula One 2015 F1: Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix – as it happened! Lewis Hamilton completed a hat-trick of British Grand Prix titles from pole, but had to fight off an early surge from both Williams drivers, before a perfectly timed tyre switch in the rain saw him hold off Nico Rosberg in the final stages Sunday 5 July 2015 09.53 EDT First published on Sunday 5 July 2015 07.00 EDT 09:53 All three drivers are interviewed, for some reason, by Frankie Dettori.

“For once, I made the perfect choice” says Hamilton on the decision to switch tyres early in the rain, and Rosberg reluctantly agrees. Vettel says without the rain, he wouldn’t be on the podium. Hard to argue with that, but he’ll be happy enough. That’s about it from me – here’s the full race report from a dramatic day at Silverstone. Thanks for reading. Bye! 09:48 Hamilton gives the home fans the full treatment, thanking them over the team radio, then pulling doughnuts in front of the grandstand. Nico Rosberg, who may settle for second after a topsy-turvy race, offers muted congratulations alongside Sebastian Vettel. After all that, it’s Hamilton who holds the trophy aloft, after Silverstone enjoys an Alesha-free rendering of the national anthem. He’s added seven points to his lead over Rosberg, and has joined Jack Brabham, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher in winning three British Grands Prix. Updated 09:39 “I’m so happy with that!” says Hamilton over the team radio – and who can blame him?

He’s the first British driver to win his home grand prix from pole since Damon Hill in 1994 – and he did it quite brilliantly, keeping calm after a slow start to overhaul both Williams, before a perfectly timed tyre change gave him the edge over Rosberg in the frantic, rain-soaked final stages of the race. 09:35 Lewis Hamilton wins the British Grand Prix! It’s a third victory at Silverstone for the defending champion, as he beats team-mate Nico Rosberg into second after an intelligent, perfectly executed drive, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel third. 09:33 Lap 51: A gentle pace for the final two laps, as the drizzle returns. Williams, who held the top two places early on, and held two podium spots for 80% of the race, will surely be disappointed to finish with Massa and Bottas fourth and fifth. Hamilton begins his final lap to rapturous applause from the grandstand – he’s moments away now... 09:30 Lap 50: Poor Kimi Raikkonen, who switched to intermediates a touch early, has had to pit again with his tyres shredded.

With the top ten all a good distance from each other, it’s looking like a Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel podium. 09:28 Lap 49: Will Stevens has had a decent afternoon, keeping his Manor on track while those around him have crashed out – but he goes wide, and destroys the nose of his car! It’ll be a struggle to get to the line from here. Updated 09:27 Lap 48: Four laps to go. Here’s the current top ten, which really doesn’t tell the whole story. Fernando Alonso is set to pick up his first points of the season, after edging past Marcus Ericsson and into the top ten. 1. Hamilton 2. Rosberg 3. Vettel 4. Massa 5. Bottas 6. Kvyat 7. Hülkenberg 8. Raikkonen 9. Pérez 10. Alonso. 09:24 Lap 47: “It’s getting heavier” exclaims Massa, down in fourth. “Easing off in the pit lane” says the team radio, which probably won’t make him feel much better.

Rosberg is eight seconds behind Hamilton; it’s looking like a hard-earned British GP hat-trick for the British driver. 09:21 Lap 45: Rosberg is forced to pit, as Hamilton roars past Massa and into second. This could be crucial – and Hamilton is well clear of his team-mate, with a lead of nine seconds. A very canny move from Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes crew. 09:19 Lap 43: With a second bout of rain about to fall, and with Rosberg breathing down his neck, Hamilton pits – and switches to intermediate tyres! While the crowd question his sanity, the heavens open. That could prove to be an inspired move... 09:17 Lap 41: Williams have been undone by that rain shower, and Rosberg quickly gains on Massa, overtaking to go second! It’s taken 41 laps, but the Mercedes one-two is back on. Raikkonen must be rueing that pit stop – the intermediates aren’t working, and he’s dropped behind Kvyat, Hulkenberg and Perez and down to ninth.

09:12 Lap 39: Vettel powers past team-mate Raikkonen and into fifth place. In turn, Raikkonen heads to the pits to switch to intermediate tyres. Rosberg, meanwhile, recovers from that rick at Woodcote, and he overtakes Bottas to go third! From likely winner after ten laps, Bottas now looks set to miss the podium altogether. 09:10 Lap 38: New rules are set to hand more big decisions to drivers, and we’re getting an early taste of it here, with the pit crews unable to judge racing conditions. At the moment, rain is affecting only a handful of corners – including Woodcote, where Rosberg has run wide! Updated 09:09 Lap 37: Is it raining or not? Results are inconclusive, with Vettel struggling through Copse Corner, umbrellas in the stands, but a dry pit lane and Hamilton, like Blind Melon , denying the presence of precipitation. The current top ten: 1. Hamilton 2. Massa 3. Bottas 4. Rosberg 5. Raikkonen 6. Vettel 7. Kvyat 8.

Hülkenberg 9. Pérez 10. Ericsson. 09:05 Lap 36: The virtual safety car is no more, and here comes the rain! Hold on to your hats, everyone. Bottas is struggling to hold off Rosberg, and suggests an early second stop to his team, who don’t seem that keen. 09:03 Lap 34: It might sound like something from Total Recall, but the virtual safety car is not all that exciting in reality: the drivers are simply told to stick to a given speed, while the now stationary Sainz is hauled back to the pits. So, Sainz is out, and joins team-mate Verstappen, the Lotuses of Grosjean and Maldonado, Jenson Button, Felipe Nasr and Danny Ricciardo in dropping out today. 09:00 Lap 33: Sainz and Pérez have been fighting gamely for ninth place, but the Toro Rosso driver has dramatically lost speed, and his race looks over. Alonso now 11th – and, in a move that won’t go down well with the purists, we have a virtual safety car.

08:59 Lap 32: Rosberg has been told to “give it everything” over the radio – there have been a few mind games between Mercedes and Williams, so who knows if that’s the real plan. Rosberg has twenty laps to fight his way onto the podium. 08:54 Lap 29: Ricciardo is planning “a few weeks off” after another difficult day, retiring due to an unspecified electrical problem. Next up, it’s Hungary – last year, the Australian won ahead of Fernando Alonso. That was the last time Mercedes missed out on a top-two finish. 08:50 Lap 26 of 52: We’re halfway through a breakneck British Grand Prix, with Hamilton leading, and team-mate Rosberg wedged behind the two Williams. This could be a pivotal day in the title race – and there remains a threat of rain in the race’s latter stages. Never have the words “it’s raining in Oxford!” been said with such gravitas. 08:48 Lap 25: Hamilton has roared away, and leads Massa by four seconds. The new race leader has been told to race to the end, with Williams likely to follow suit.

That scorcher of a pit stop from Hamilton has made the difference – his stop was over a second quicker than Massa’s. 08:45 Lap 23: Rosberg told to go to Plan B – a two-stop strategy, rather than any Wacky Races–style shenanigans. It’s all over for Ricciardo, who has had to retire. The current top ten: 1. Hamilton 2. Massa 3. Bottas 4. Rosberg 5. Raikkonen 6. Vettel 7. Kvyat 8. Hülkenberg 9. Sainz 10. Pérez. Updated 08:40 Lap 21: Silverstone holds its breath as Massa and Rosberg pit simultaneously, and engage in a nervous battle down the pit lane. Massa edges ahead – but both exit behind Hamilton! Bottas leads, but is yet to pit. Looking good for the home favourite, all of a sudden. 08:38 Lap 20: Hamilton is the first of the leading quartet to pit – and a combination of a smooth stop and a speedy exit get him back out, still in fourth place.

Impressive. Further down the field, the Ferraris are charging, with Raikkonen and Vettel both cruising past Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson and into the top seven. 08:36 Lap 18: Bottas weaves behind Massa, looking for an opening – but the Brazilian holds him off smartly. It’s a strange, tentative battle at the front, with the Williams team-mates loath to take a risk and hand an advantage to the two waiting Mercedes. 08:32 Lap 16: Despite his best efforts, Bottas remains behind Massa – but he’s closer to his team-mate than Hamilton in third. Bottas, who is yet to win a Grand Prix, has beaten his team-mate for pace in every stage of the weekend – apart from qualifying. 08:30 Lap 14: Raikkonen pits and changes to hard compound tyres, followed by team-mate Vettel. Ferrari have been practicing their pit stops this week, and it’s paid off with two quick efforts there, as they plump for a two-stop strategy. You’ve got to nail the basics.

Updated Lap 13: Ricciardo and Sainz both pit early, while at the front, we continue with a rare treat – four cars, all fighting for the lead. Massa, Bottas, Hamilton, Rosberg remains the way of things. Updated 08:26 Lap 11: Bottas has now been given the go ahead to take Massa on – it’s not a case of Massa letting the Finn through, but both will be encouraged to race. Getting the go-ahead surely suggests that Williams fancy Bottas’ chances better than Massa’s... 08:24 Lap 10: A mixed day for British constructors, with Lotus out, McLaren suffering more misery, but Williams out in front. There’s a bit of tension over the radio, though, with Bottas being told not to race Massa. “But I have pace!” whines Bottas over the team radio. It’s not just Mercedes with the team dynamics issues, you know. 08:22 Lap 9: Vettel fights back, scooting past Pérez to take eighth. Jenson Button is keeping his chin up, after he was taken out of the race by team-mate Fernando Alonso.

Button says his colleague lost the rear of his car in the midst of the incident which saw both Lotuses exit the race. 08:20 Lap 8: Hamilton sets a new fastest lap, and both he and Bottas are bearing down on leader Massa, who’s struggling a touch for pace. There’s also a decent battle developing behind the fifth-placed Force India car of Nico Hülkenberg. 08:18 Lap 6: Massa sets the fastest lap, at 1:39.515. Not so hot for Ferrari, with Raikkonen down in sixth and Vettel slumping to ninth. Here’s the top ten: 1. Massa (Williams), 2. Bottas (Williams), 3. Hamilton (Mercedes), 4. Rosberg (Mercedes), 5. Hülkenberg (Force India), 6. Raikkonen (Ferrari), 7. Kvyat (Red Bull), 8. Pérez (Force India), 9. Vettel (Ferrari), 10. Sainz (Toro Rosso).

08:08 Lap 2: The safety car is out after a helter-skelter start, with both Lotuses, and both McLarens, colliding in the mad dash through the first corners. Jenson Button is forced out, and both Grosjean and Maldonado join him! Alonso is still running, but is into the pits for running repairs. Poor Jenson Button. 08:04 Lights out Here we go... Hamilton needs only look back at last year’s race, where he won from sixth on the grid, to know this is by no means a foregone conclusion. The start will be vital – will it be Rosberg or Hamilton leading into the first corner? It’s... Felipe Massa! Updated 08:00 Nasr won’t start the race at all, which means both McLarens, and indeed both Manors, move up a place. Maybe Jenson was onto something. It’s Lewis Hamilton on pole – the British driver is now third on the all-time pole list, behind only Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. Not bad going – but that won’t help him over the first few corners, when Rosberg will be gunning for him.

A matter of moments until race time. Updated This from our very own Richard Williams will give you the nostalgic feels. If you want more, be sure to check out Giles Richards’ excellent look back at that very race. Richard Williams (@rwilliams1947) 07:49 A mysterious incident involving Sauber’s Felipe Nasr, who came to a stop during the warm-up and has been hauled back to the garage. Nobody, including Nasr’s team-mate Marcus Ericsson, is saying exactly what’s happened, but the Brazilian will likely start from the pit lane, at best. A few words from the drivers: “We’re going to have a good day” claims Jenson Button, not entirely convincingly. Nico Rosberg suspects the track may lack grip, and Daniil Kvyat thinks Red Bull are moving in the right direction – he is at least further up the field than the Toro Rossos today. And now the national anthem, sung by Alesha Dixon. Britain at its best.

07:28 The grid Here’s how they’ll line up at the start in around half an hour’s time, with Hamilton starting on pole, and Williams edging out Ferrari to take both spots on the second row. Both McLaren drivers failed to make it out of the first qualifying session, as their season continues to plumb ever greater depths. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) Will Stevens (Manor) Roberto Merhi (Manor) Lewis Hamilton makes a bid for freedom from his F1 hell meets his adoring public at Silverstone. Photograph: Charles Coates/Getty Images Updated 07:11 History lesson A fired-up home favourite against an ice-cool German, on a drizzly day at Silverstone? Why, it’s 1995 all over again. Twenty years ago, the two title rivals collided on their way into Priory corner, crashing out and handing a first-ever GP win to Johnny Herbert. 06:50 Preamble Hello. These are strange days for Formula One. The latest edition of the British Grand Prix takes place against a backdrop of growing uncertainty, with everyone from fans to former drivers , to Bernie Ecclestone himself, lining up to give the sport a shoeing.

While Bernie was busy doing a Gerald Ratner, Operation Uncrap has clicked into gear, with a raft of changes set to come in before the season is out – perhaps at Spa, in just two races’ time. One man who thinks it’s not all bad is Mercedes’ Toto Wolff – and given his team’s total superiority, why would he? That said, it befits the anachronistic nature of the sport that in the midst of much turmoil, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have turned their team’s unsustainable dominance into a terrific title rivalry – Formula One’s own Barça and Real, if you will. Hamilton had appeared all set to cruise into the distance this season after last year’s brutal battle – but misfortune in Monaco and a slow start in Austria have let Rosberg back in. The German is perched keenly on Hamilton’s shoulder, both on the grid and in the drivers’ standings, but will have a bumper crowd baying for his failure today. Will we see a classic to defy the naysayers? We’ll find out from 1pm BST.

Updated Formula 1 - BBC Sport BBC Sport Bernie Ecclestone unsure of F1 future, Sergio Perez "stunned", Kevin Magnussen "disappointed", plus more. 20 Jan Lewis Hamilton backs Mercedes' choice of Valtteri Bottas as a replacement for Nico Rosberg, team boss Toto Wolff has said. 18 Jan

Question: Who won the 2015 Formula 1 British Grand Prix?
Answer: LEWIS HAMILTON