15:00 Formation Lap started behind Safety car due to safety concerns.
Rain is forecast around lap 15/17 according to Aston Martin
15:03 Track is very close to dry conditions
15:03 Russell and Leclerc box under formation lap for Hards
15:04 Piastri says it is still too wet.
15:04 lights out and away we go! Alonso goes wide however all is well after turn 1 Verstappen ahead. Lawson crashes on slicks
15:05 Hamilton makes a move into Stowe on Lando Norris however he is not successful
15:06 VSC DEPLOYED
15:06 Cars on slicks are roughly 6 seconds per sector lower.
15:07 Ocon made contact with Lawson as they were three wide.
15:09 Antonelli pitted on to Hards under VSC and is already struggling for grip.
15:10 Both Mercedes are on Hards In 13th and 14th Leclerc 15th on mediums 16th is Hadjar on Mediums and Bearman on Hards.
15:12 We resume racing and Bortoleto has a spin in turn 2. There is large wing damage to his car and will likely retire.
Lap 5 and Piastri is very close to verstappen in lutfield.
Max struggling for rear grip fighting with Piastri.
VSC DEPLOYED
Bortoleto is stranded at the side of the track and is out.
Lap 6/15:13 Russell is forced ahead of Antonelli due to team orders.
Rain is estimated in 10 minutes.
Gasly is running very well in P5, Alonso P6 and the 2 Williams of Sainz and Albon P7 and P8.
Top 5 are Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Hamilton, Gasly.
Racing resumed and Piastri trying to challenge Verstappen.
On to lap 8. And Stroll is 10 seconds faster than Alex Albon in the middle sector alone.
DRS ENABLED
Piastri is challenging Verstappen into Maggots and beckets
Piastri is ahead at Stowe.
It’s raining again!!!!
Norris is 4 seconds off his teammate in the lead. Antonelli and Leclerc are battling on slicks however they will loose time soon.
Stroll is making moves and is now P10
He is on the Soft. Rain is estimated to be heavy. It’s Raining heavy now. Norris is attacking Verstappen. Verstappen and Norris box for new inters. Albon stays out and is P2 under pressure from Verstappen.
15:27 Verstappen passes Albon and so does Norris
15:28 Hulkenberg P4
15:29 Heavy rain now possibly wet tyre conditions.
Verstappen is now 14 seconds off the lead of Piastri with Norris hot on his tale.
SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
As it stands on Lap 14 Piastri P1, Verstappen P2, Norris P3, Stroll P4, Hulkenberg P5, Gasly P6, Ocon P7, Hamilton P8, Russell P9, Alonso P10
Rain is set to end In 4 minutes.
Drivers are reporting poor visibility even under safety car.
SAFETY CAR ENDING LAP 17
Piastri is desperately weaving to get tire temp.
Race resumed and Russell makes a move on Hamilton into Turn 1.
Lap 18 and Leclerc makes an audacious move on Tsunoda but no contact made.
Lap 18 SAFETY CAR HADJAR CRASH
Ocon pits on lap 19 to fresh inters.
He was unsighted by Antonellis Mercedes and crashed in an unusual spot on the outside of Maggots. A high speed scare for the young frenchman. It’s a disaster of a day for VCARB with both cars now out and lots of damage done. Piastri says the puddle in turn 2 is the most dangerous on the track.
Safety car ending Lap 21
VERSTAPPEN SPINS FROM P2
He’s down to tenth as a result but very lucky to get away with it. He is struggling with grip now and down to to 11th battling Albon. Bearman spins at Lutfield. Piastri has been noted for a safety car infringement. Stroll is third going strong.
Lap 24 Hamilton runs wide at Copse corner losing a spot.
Piastri Has a 10 second time penalty for a safety car infringement.
Piastri leads Norris over Stroll and Hulkenberg in P4. Hamilton has completed the move on Russell in P6 at Stowe corner. Norris is in a good position for a win here with Piastri needing an extra 10 seconds at the next stop. Tsunoda has a 10 second time penalty aswell for causing a collision. Verstappen is now struggling for pace with his setup.
Lap 29 and Gasly is doing some robust defending against 7 time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Hulkenberg is starting to apply pressure to stroll for the last podium position.
Piastri is saying it is drying slowly.
Hamilton is closing in on Stroll and Hulkenbergs battle looking to destroy his hopes of a first career podium.
DRS ENABLED AND HULK IS IN P3.
Hopefully he will finally get his long deserved podium but Hamilton in a Ferrari is closing in.
Norris sets the fastest lap on lap 36.
Hulkenberg has good pace but DRS is slowly killing hope.
Alonso onto mediums on lap 38
Hulkenberg is fending off Hamilton as he has a bad line through Becketts corner. Russell goes to Hards and immediately is struggling for grip.
Russell has a high speed spin at maggots corner however he keeps it going. Leclerc has been noted for what can only be called a reckless move on Sainz in Turn 4. Verstappen is up to 6th ahead of Gasly now. No further investigation for Leclercs incident. Hamilton goes on softs. Hamilton already off track and losing time. Hulkenberg is in the pits as a response to Hamilton. Hulkenberg is P3 by 8.3 seconds now a great response from Kick sauber despite a slow stop. Ocon goes off track at Lutfield. Norris pits on Lap 44 and leads by over 5 seconds from Piastri. Piastri is closing in on Norris and whilst doing that goes off the track at Maggots and Becketts. 6 laps to go and Piastri is closing in on Norris still as Hulkenberg now sets the fastest lap of the race on softs. He is driving the race of his life. Leclerc has a small moment at Stowe and went off into the gravel. He is 14th now. Piastri is now dropping back, it’s Norris’ race to lose. Gasly is closing in on Verstappen and is running a great race in 7th. Norris now sets the fastest lap from the lead of the race. Verstappen passes stroll for P5. Norris in front of him home crowd, wins the British Grand Prix for the first time and closes his deficit to McLaren teammate in the championship. AND FINALLY NICO HULKENBERG WILL STAND ON A FORMULA ONE PODIUM AFTER 239 GRAND PRIX STARTS!!!!!
Provisional Results:
1st Lando Norris
2nd Oscar Piastri
3rd Nico Hulkenberg
4th Lewis Hamilton
5th Max Verstappen
6th Pierre Gasly
7th Lance Stroll
8th Alex Albon
9th Fernando Alonso
10th George Russell
11th Oliver Bearman
12th Carlos Sainz
13th Esteban Ocon
14th Charles Leclerc
15th Yuki Tsunoda
DNF Andrea Kimi Antonelli
DNF Isack Hadjar
DNF Gabriel Bortoleto
DNF Liam Lawson
DNS Franco Colapinto
