21. 2024 British GP: Hamilton's throwback masterclass

July 7, Silverstone

The old-school layout encourages drivers to run to the ragged edge and beyond, then throw in a spot of the great British weather and the stakes rise higher. Having gone a mighty unfamiliar two-and-a-half years without a race win, Lewis Hamilton produced a masterclass to come out on top of a cagey battle of wits and skill against McLaren’s Lando Norris as the all-British fight thrilled the home crowd.

George Russell snatched pole ahead of Hamilton in an all-Mercedes front row and the pair held station through the early laps before the first rain shower hit. Now it was all about timing, judging when to jump from slicks to intermediates became key. Hamilton vaulted Russell for the lead before both slithered off, making it a four-way fight between the Mercedes and the twin McLarens of Norris and Oscar Piastri, all pressing on with slick tyres. Norris found his way into the lead with a fine slipstream on Hamilton just before a second shower at mid-distance forced the stops.

The battle was thinned when Piastri ran a lap longer than the others and lost chunks of time, and then Russell was forced to park up with water pressure troubles. With 12 laps remaining the sun appeared again and Hamilton opted to box for slicks again, a lap earlier than Norris, and rejoined out front, sealing the win when Max Verstappen demoted Norris late on. The victory was Hamilton’s first for almost 1000 days, and his ninth in the British GP, setting a new record for wins at the same circuit. His emotion afterwards just added to the feel-good factor. RL

Results

1st Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 1hr 22min 27.059sec, 138.45mph
2nd Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT)
3rd Lando Norris (McLaren-Mercedes)
Pole position George Russell (Mercedes), 1min 25.819sec, 153.55mph