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Formula 1 British GP

2015 British Grand Prix Sunday - British GP

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Sainz's car has been craned away across the gravel. It's now out of the way.
"We'll get a notification when the virtual safety car is about to end and then you need to look for the boards," Williams tells Bottas.
Verstappen has been trying to explain his early off in the race, he says it just snapped away from him and even though he tried to keep it out the wall he couldn't.

He finishes by lamenting a difficult weekend after Friday promised so much for Toro Rosso, which has obviously now lost both drivers from this race.
Top 10:

1 Hamilton
2 Massa
3 Bottas
4 Rosberg
5 Raikkonen
6 Vettel
7 Kvyat
8 Hulkenberg
9 Perez
10 Ericsson
Massa is told "we are staying out".
Yellow flag
Virtual safety car.
Hamilton leads by 6.0s on lap 33/52.
Sainz is off track and stopped on the exit of the final corner.
Now we're being told rain in seven minutes.
Lock-up from Sainz at Village, but it's Perez who makes the bigger mistake, losing the rear slightly and running off track a bit.

He's dropped 1.5s behind Sainz as a result.
"Give it everything like qually," Mercedes tells Rosberg.
Hamilton is told "expecting rain in the next six-to-nine laps."
"Nico, give it everything, give it everything."
Sainz has been warned for track limits at Copse - the team tells him to be careful. He has Perez just half a second behind him.
Hamilton's lead is up to 5.3s now over Massa.
Traditionally, when rain is promised over the radio to drivers late in a grand prix, it usually doesn't come until 30-60 minutes later in order to soak AUTOSPORT's team as they scour the paddock for post-race reaction. With luck, this will be the exception to that rule.
Everyone's in agreement. Perez is told "a possibility of light rain in 15 minutes".
Bottas has fallen out of DRS range of Massa - maybe saving his tyres. Although there'll be no need for that if we get rain in the next 15 minutes.
The closest fight on track outside of the top four is Perez chasing Sainz. There's less than a second in it as they squabble over ninth.

Hulkenberg has been cut adrift from Raikkonen, Vettel and Kvyat. The Red Bull, on the other hand, is very much in the hunt for fifth.
"Expecting rain in 15 minutes," Mercedes tells Rosberg.
Bottas is told "you were better on your tyres in the first stint, so maybe we can get him later".
Stevens is also told to expect rain in 30 minutes.
Hamilton continues to edge away, he now leads Massa by 4.2s. The Brazilian still has Bottas and Rosberg for company in the battle for the remaining podium spots.
IAN PARKES: "Lewis Hamilton leads for the 18th race in succession, breaking Sir Jackie Stewart's 45-year-old record."
Hamilton asks if he needs to extend the gap anymore (as he takes it up to 4.0s). "It's about getting to the end Lewis, there is a threat of rain in about 30 minutes."
Ericsson has pit the Sauber, and is back out on track in 11th.

It's a lonely race for Alonso who is 12th and has stopped twice. Stevens and Merhi run 13th and 14th in the Manors.
Massa is taking some liberties with the track limits at Copse. The officials didn't let anything go there yesterday in qualifying, but we've not seen any warnings so far in the race.
Both Williams drivers are told that it's a straight fight to the finish now.
Hamilton has already eased his pace by a few tenths. He's still extended his lead slightly (to 3.5s) but he's clearly going to manage the gap from here.
EDD STRAW: "Interesting to reflect on how this race might have been different had Bottas been ahead. Seemed he had the pace to have edged away from Massa, so it certainly would have made the battle with Hamilton through the pitstops less clear-cut."
So it was Massa, Bottas, Hamilton, Rosberg out front before the stops.

Now it's Hamilton, Massa, Bottas, Rosberg. Lap 23/52.
Ricciardo's miserable race is over after 23 laps, as he brings the Red Bull in for the third - and final - time.

Its wheeled back into the garage. Not a good day for the Aussie.
"Remember how hard it is to overtake around here," Hamilton is told. He's already 3.3s clear in the lead.

Rosberg is told "we're going to Plan B so push hard now." 2-stopper?
With everyone in that battle for fifth having stopped, this is how it's shaken out:

5 Raikkonen
6 Vettel
7 Kvyat
8 Hulkenberg

Ericsson runs ahead of Perez but the Sauber hasn't stopped.
Hamilton takes the lead, and Bottas emerges between Massa and Rosberg. Rosberg attacks into the Loop, but Bottas holds on around the outside and maintains the position.

So Mercedes got Hamilton ahead of both Williams cars, but failed with Rosberg. He's still fourth.
Perez has stopped, while Ricciardo's boxed for a second time already in this race.
"We are safe to Bottas, plenty of time, so don't push the tyres too hard," Hamilton is told as Bottas pits.
Massa is released alongside Rosberg in the pits. He stays ahead, but Hamilton is crucially ahead of Massa now, so effectively in the lead unless Bottas does something special.
Massa (P1) pits, and so does Rosberg (P3). Bottas leads.
Hulkenberg's rejoined behind Kvyat - so he's lost three places in the first pitstops.

By: Scott Mitchell, Glenn Freeman, Lawrence Barretto, Edd Straw

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