Hamilton F1 fairytale beats any film fiction – British GP Up/down

Sometimes you feel like F1 is sucking out your soul right through the eyeballs.

The insufferable commercial partnerships shoved in your face, the hollow equality messages, the vacuous celebrities and the dreary, media-droned drivers.

And then, out of nowhere, you remember why you got into it all in the first place.

Cynics might point out that the fierce fight at the front of the 2024 British GP was helped by the rain, but the fact of the matter is that the three best cars – Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren – were barely covered by a mechanic’s dishcloth, allowing some of the world’s best drivers to simply go for it.

Hamilton winning was the story the world championship needed – and showed that as sporting heroes go, there are few as compelling as the Mercedes man. He makes you want to watch.

The ei- sorry, seven-time champion’s virtuoso victory was in stark contrast to the shonky F1 film teaser trailer which was revealed pre-race, showing us that at its best, what the world championship and its heroes deliver truly is box office.

You might have already had enough of the cringing filmic metaphors, but anyway here are some more.

Going ‘Down

We will blank you

Pomp-rock legend Brian May was present to ostensibly promote the F1 movie too, owing to the fact his Queen band’s hit We Will Rock You features in the teaser trailer…

…except he didn’t want to want to talk about it to either Sky or Channel 4. Nice.

Sky’s Martin Brundle had clearly been told by producers to be more tentative in a bid not to create any more Cara Delevigne-like car crashes or any Brad Pitt-falls, but good old Mr ‘Can Because I Did’ still managed to get a few cute digs in there about veteran rockstars being hard of hearing. Can’t blame him really.

Ironically Pitt’s snub at Austin ’22 was one of the early examples of someone making a twit of themselves on the grid when supposedly promoting something, in that case the then-unnamed F1 film – the same as May! That is world-beating irony.

Maybe if Brundle had led on talking about spiky May’s semi-renowned hedgehog sanctuary, he might have got somewhere.

Checo-ing out?

In a show of empathetic solidarity with any British GP fans who found their vehicle slightly bogged down in the Northamptonshire mire, Sergio Perez beached his RB20 during qualifying – what a guy.

Rumours have emerged since that the beleaguered Mexican has tumbled outside an apparent 100-point bracket that is supposedly stipulated in his contract – i.e. if he falls 100 points behind team-mate Verstappen, Red Bull reserves the right to give him the boot.

It’s almost as if Horner and co relish the hiring and firing. Give us something to write about, at least.

Can it get any worse?

For a brief period earlier this season it looked as if Ferrari might have cured its chaotic strategy woes – think again!

The Scuderia jumped the gun by putting Leclerc on inters too early, but in a show of brilliant belligerence then refused to switch him back when the requisite rainfall clearly wasn’t materialising.

The Monegasque quickly suffered the indignity of being lapped by his own team-mate Sainz, who cruised round happy as Larry the No10 cat still on dry tyres.

Leclerc finished 14th. His face of thunder afterwards said it all.

Local zeroes

Gasly had to retire without completing a lap due to gearbox failure in a miserable showing for the local team with Ocon out of the points too. At least Alpine had Jeremy Clarkson in its hospitality to bring the laughs.

Goin’ Up

Nico of time

While Perez struggles, Nico ‘No podiums’ Hülkenberg goes from strength to strength, taking a second consecutive sixth place.

When you’ve boshed La Sarthe on a weekend off, this midfield F1 stuff is easy.

It really looks like Red Bull made the wrong choice between free agents Nico and Sergio back at the end of 2020…

Might also be some irony if Hulk finds himself behind Haas in 2026 if the whispers of the struggling Sauber/Audi project are true.

Search Engine Optimisation Nation

As Sky reporter Ted Kravitz saliently pointed out, Cool Runnings wasn’t called ‘Tobogganing‘, nor was The Damned Utd called ‘Football‘.

Still, it looks like the Brad Pitt/Lewis Hamilton film makers have aimed for the top of the Google charts by simply calling the film F1. Such is the world we live in – interesting, imaginative titles are over. Genius.

Laying down the Lawson

As an above-mentioned struggling driver tries to save his seat, so Red Bull Jr Liam Lawson will get to test the current car for an extensive filming day soon.

After impressing so much during his few races before being bitterly disappointed at relegation back to the Red Bull bench last year, the Kiwi’s time might suddenly be upon him.

If Milton Keynes doesn’t plump for Lawson, will it look elsewhere? Alex Palou, anyone?

Aston on the up

Double points with seventh and eighth for the team whose base is next-door to Silverstone – and Stroll beat Alonso.

The Spaniard has called for less talk and more improving action from his team. Will this placate F1’s raging bull?