[Official] British Grand Prix 2015 - Weekend Thread

[Born Racer]

It's time for F1 to 'come home' to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix. Seven of the ten teams are based in the country and within a 100-mile radius of the circuit. The Northamptonshire-located track was also host to the very first Formula 1 World Championship race in 1950 and this year hosts its 49th World Championship Grand Prix (and its 51st in total - the first was in 1948).

17 of the 48 Silverstone world championship races and 17 of the 50 Grands Prix have been won by British drivers - quite an impressive tally.

Jim Clark has led more British Grand Prix laps than any other driver - 365.

Ferrari have won more British Grands Prix than any other team, 16 to McLaren's 14 and Williams's 10.

Of the current drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have won two British Grands Prix apiece, while Raikkonen, Vettel and Rosberg have all won once.

The hot weather has given way to slightly cooler conditions for this weekend, with some sun and 24 and 25 degrees currently forecast for Saturday and just 20 degrees and possible outbreaks of rain due on Sunday.

If Lewis Hamilton leads even one lap at Silverstone, that will beat Sir Jackie Stewart's 45-year-old record of 17 consecutive Grands Prix led.

The smallest victory margin at a British Grand Prix was in 1955 at Aintree, Fangio beating Moss by 0.2 seconds. Perhaps the strangest win was Michael Schumacher's for Ferrari in 1998, in which he took a penalty on after the finishing line on the final lap, winning in the pitlane.

2015:

Tyre compounds: Medium and hard

[wnut]

Thanks Born Racer, I always look forward to the British GP, "F1 coming home", hope it is a really good one!

[billy bleach]

Sauber mechanics are working overtime in the Silverstone pits on Thursday.

That is because, as of 6am, the Swiss team's trucks carrying the cars for Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson had yet to arrive at the British grand prix venue.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that Sauber left Hinwil on time, but got held up in France during a Eurotunnel strike and blockade.

The transporters diverted, but got caught up in a four kilometre traffic jam, meaning mechanics are now racing against time to prepare the Ferrari-powered cars.

pathetic - if ever there was an example of F1 looking inwards not outwards this is it!
How come they didn't set off for Zeebrugge or St Malo of even Rotterdam. Obviously in denial that world events could affect them .......

[karting]

Manor with another new sponsor.

Really like the blue on the car

[chillibowl]

like the new nose on the FI. is the car a full 'B-spec'?

think they should be applauded for trying something new out mid season when the trend (sensible choice) seems to be to move money to next year.

now just hope it works out for them

[spider]

Car looks fantastic. They look a little closer to the pack so far (still not close enough to compete at all), but a little better.

Makes a lot of sense for them now to just get it right for 2016...as they're really going to have to step up and compete with the likes of the ones ahead of them next year, as you'd expect Haas to come in and be fairly competitive with the Saubers et al.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by karting

Manor with another new sponsor.

Really like the blue on the car

The car looks really nice....

What can one say about the British Grand Prix... I love it !

[bjohnsonsmith]

Normally, I would get quite enthusiastic about the British GP but what with the last few races, it's a little hard to. It's not so much Mercedes romping away with it every time, though that doesn't help, it's the processional aspect and the lack of overtaking further down the field, that makes for a rather lack lustre spectacle. Hopefully, that won't be the case but I won't hold my breath.

[David A Scott]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Normally, I would get quite enthusiastic about the British GP but what with the last few races, it's a little hard to. It's not so much Mercedes romping away with it every time, though that doesn't help, it's the processional aspect and the lack of overtaking further down the field, that makes for a rather lack lustre spectacle. Hopefully, that won't be the case but I won't hold my breath.

I agree, that's why I'm hoping for rain..

[Born Racer]

They're not allowed vented noses in the middle, but Force Insia have obviously managed to avoid this.

[m355y]

The Marussia looks much better with the blue and - shock - a sponsor. That's gotta be a good sign, along with their improved pace so far. I've rarely wanted a team to survive more. After everything they've been through with De Villotta and then Jules, almost going out of business etc, they deserve a bit of a break.

Encouraging stuff about Michael Schumacher this weekend too although its almost gone unnoticed - Sabine saying she's pleased to announce he's now doing "much better" - its the tone of the quote, by far the most positive, happy sounding thing to come out of this for ages.

Also (and I shouldn't really say this I know), I think it's a massively positive thing that Nico is really starting to gain the upper hand on Lewis, we need a proper battle between these two.

Generally quite a positive weekend so far on those three counts.

[wolfhound]

I see that BBC2 tonight has a program about Hunt V's Lauda in 1976 and John Frankenheimer's classic.

[Born Racer]

Head-on view of change of direction at Copse - always a joy!

[Born Racer]

Red Bull look a bit more competitive based on the weekend as a whole.

[canamman]

Trying to comprehend McLaren, and I can not.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by canamman

Trying to comprehend McLaren, and I can not.

its better not to think about it.

[ECW Dan Selby]

I'd love to see a side-by-side bunch of stats breaking down Manor and McLaren's expenditure this season.

You can only imagine how much more McLaren have spent to be one place ahead of Manor.

Selby

[wolfhound]

How do folks feel about the track limits rule and I wonder how it is going to be administered in the race?

I do think something has got to be done about drivers going out over the edge of the track. Mind you a triple layer of armco just beyond the white line would deal with the problem but create another.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/119842

[cds_uk]

Originally Posted by m355y

I think it's a massively positive thing that Nico is really starting to gain the upper hand on Lewis, we need a proper battle between these two.

I just don't get this whole Nico getting the upper hand thing, he drove very well in Austria granted but that is it, i would imagine that normal service will very much be resumed tomorrow and at Hungary, also, does anybody really think anyone other than Lewis will be champ come the end of the season?

[stripedcat]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Normally, I would get quite enthusiastic about the British GP but what with the last few races, it's a little hard to. It's not so much Mercedes romping away with it every time, though that doesn't help, it's the processional aspect and the lack of overtaking further down the field, that makes for a rather lack lustre spectacle. Hopefully, that won't be the case but I won't hold my breath.

Seconded. Yeah. I think that this year - the cars are a lot more difficult to overtake. We did have some decent battles in the mid field at Austria - but I get the feeling, that it's not something that is going to happen too often this year.

[chillibowl]

was hoping the B-Spec Force India would have shaken things up more but maybe we will see it tomorrow in race pace.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

pathetic - if ever there was an example of F1 looking inwards not outwards this is it!

How come they didn't set off for Zeebrugge or St Malo of even Rotterdam. Obviously in denial that world events could affect them .......

If ever there is an example of the problems F1 has this is it.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by canamman

Trying to comprehend McLaren, and I can not.

It's proving to be a lot more difficult for McLaren-Honda than anyone thought, then again the other teams/PU manufacturers do have the advantage of the 2013/14 off season, the whole of last season and the 2014/15 off season.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

How do folks feel about the track limits rule and I wonder how it is going to be administered in the race?

generally agree with Ric's comments, drivers will use every possible inch of track they can so a better deterrent is needed.

ultimately i dont want to see a driver get knocked out for one mistake though. lose time sure but damage and beached cars usually result in saftey cars and that ruins a race more imo.

stewards were being consistent and tough in quali so hopefully that was deterrent enough for the race.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

It's proving to be a lot more difficult for McLaren-Honda than anyone thought...

including themselves.

its really a spectacular level of fail going on here.