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Formula 1 70th Anniversary GP

F1 70th Anniversary GP Live Updates - final practice and qualifying

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In just under half an hour, qualifying at Silverstone will be underway. Join us for all of the action as it happens - we will be your guides as it all unfolds.
'Twas a familiar story in FP3 earlier. Hamilton topped the session from Bottas, but this time with Lando Norris as the best of the rest. A sterling effort.
We received an email yesterday regarding our jokes and levity in Live yesterday. We'd like to apologise to anyone who felt our coverage was too fun and we will endeavour to be more bland today.
Nah, we're kidding. Two windmills are in a field, and one asks "what's your favourite kind of music?" The other replies "I'm a big metal fan"...
15 minutes until we get going! Make sure you're fed, watered and ready to go, because this is going to get very interesting...
The main story from FP3 was one of tyres, namely, the soft tyres are barely lasting a lap before they lose their peak grip. Getting them to hang on will be a wheel challenge...
Since the softs are a bit lightweight for these conditions, and the allowance of hard and medium tyres is sparse, this might be one of the weirder qualifying sessions. It'll be a tactical game.
F1's theme tune hits the screen - so that's everyone's five minute alarm.
We've got a 26.7 degree C air temperature, but the track's at 44 degrees - so it'll turn the red-walled Pirellis into tyre fondue.
There's also a 4m/s tailwind down the Hangar Straight, so that'll give the drivers a bit of a push.
The pitlane is open, and Magnussen gets us underway for Q1.
The timing screen we've got is a little bit confused by the appearance of mediums on track. Hulkenberg's on softs, the Haases are on mediums, and Russell hasn't flashed up yet.
A lock-up for Magnussen at the first corner on his hot lap, which will take a bit of a bite out of the medium-compound tyres.
Magnussen does our first time, but Grosjean does a 1m28.456s to beat him.
Hulkenberg now throws down the gauntlet with a 1m27.279s on softs.
Raikkonen and Giovinazzi set their opening array of laps, but they're currently slowest out of the cars to have crossed the line.
Leclerc drops into P2, half a second off Hulkenberg as Norris does a low 1m28 to go P3 for now.
Hamilton briefly takes top spot, just 0.04s ahead of Hulkenberg, but Bottas leaps to the top with a 1m27.175s.
And now Verstappen has a tilt, going top with a 1m27.154s.
Hulkenberg looked to have found something on a second lap with those soft tyres, but loses a chunk in the final sector and can't improve his time.
Leclerc was on a very hot lap, but just loses momentum into the final corners and can't climb any higher than fifth.
Hamilton and Bottas have both found time on a second run, eclipsing Verstappen as Hamilton does a 1m26.818s to go top.
So it appears that, if your cooldown lap is slow enough, you CAN do a second lap on these softs - but you risk losing time in the final sector.
Russell gets properly blocked onto the run to Wellington Straight by Ocon, calling it "properly dangerous". Esteban Block-on strikes again.
Ocon will be investigated for his cameo as a moving chicane.
"That wasn't good, we'll get penalised for that", Ocon says. At least he's honest.
Giovinazzi and Russell break the brief hiatus in running, as the drivers at risk of Q1 elimination bolt on fresh softs.
All except Verstappen, Hulkenberg and Leclerc have emerged on-track.
Chequered flag out - we're in for a glut of times.
Albon, crucially, gets up to P3 and escapes from the drop zone!
Magnussen and Latifi can't get out of the drop zone, and it looks like the Alfas won't either.
Stroll and Ocon leap out of the relegation zone and dumps Kvyat into a Q1 elimination! Kvyat's earlier time was deleted for track limits.
Bottas did a 1m26.738s to go even faster! I mean, why not?

By: Jake Boxall-Legge

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