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F1 British GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2023 Formula 1 British Grand Prix
F1 enters double figures for the season with Silverstone hosting the 10th race weekend of 2023 as Red Bull looks to extend its perfect win record.
Max Verstappen has been dominant this term with a personal victory haul of seven creating an 81-point lead at the top of the drivers' standings.
The Dutch driver starts from pole ahead of McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
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The safety car will return to the pits at the end of this lap!
Just to recap the top 10 order and tyres under the safety car: Verstappen (softs), Norris (hards), Hamilton (softs), Piastri (hards), Russell (mediums), Alonso (softs), Sainz (hards), Perez (softs), Albon (softs) and Leclerc (mediums).
The FIA has confirmed that the track is now clear. We'll likely have one more lap behind the safety car and will then continue on.
Behind the safety car, Zhou has stopped again after complaining about a brake issue.
The TV feed flicks to the McLaren garage to show Piastri's grandparents, and his grandmother looks spooked by it so grabs her husband's hand. Aww, bless them. Either that or they've just seen the Ashes test result.
Magnussen's Haas has been moved to the side of the track but it is still smoking. This will take a few more laps to clear properly.
Norris is on a set of fresh hard tyres, so in theory he has a big tyre deficit to Verstappen ahead of him and Hamilton behind him as they are both on softs.
This intervention has been a disaster for Ferrari, with Sainz now P7 and Leclerc relegated to P10. For Williams and Albon, this has played out perfectly, pushing the Thai-British driver up into the points places.
Hamilton is the biggest winner in all that, as he takes on fresh softs and comes out in third place ahead of Piastri and Russell.
Pit stop
But the full safety car has now been deployed, as Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton and Alonso all get the chance for their cheap pitstop.
This virtual safety car has given Albon and Leclerc a very cheap pitstop - but it was called just at the wrong time for Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton and Alonso who all missed the chance to pit.
Safety car
And now it's the full safety car after Magnussen stops on the Wellington Straight with his Haas on fire. It's safe to say the Ferrari power unit in his Haas has expired.
Safety car
VSC deployed
A thrilling battle between Leclerc and Russell, as the latter goes around the outside of the Ferrari man at Luffield, and climbs to P8.
Leclerc tries to come back but his much older hard tyres are no match for Russell's recently fitted rubber.
Leclerc tries to come back but his much older hard tyres are no match for Russell's recently fitted rubber.
At the front, it is easy going for Verstappen as his lead grows to nine seconds over Norris.
Stopwatch
On soft tyres, Perez is going for it and sets a new fastest lap of the race with a 1m31.408s.
Here comes Carlos Sainz. He's rapidly catching Russell and Leclerc, and should clear Hamilton when the Mercedes driver pits.
Pit stop
McLaren reacts and pits Piastri from third place. It is a smart stop of 2.4s and he rejoins in sixth place, comfortably ahead of Leclerc and Russell.
Pit stop
Perez stops from P8. Medium tyres off but interestingly, the softs go on. This will provide those at the front with data on whether the soft compound is a viable option to take to the chequered flag.
Pit stop
Russell duly pits for fresh mediums but it is a slow stop and he comes out in ninth and behind Leclerc.
Russell is the tyre whisperer right now as his softs begin the 30th lap of their existence. It could give him a huge opportunity later in the race when he pits for fresh mediums.
Pit stop
Sainz pits at the end of lap 26, locking up at pit entry a little, before swapping his mediums for fresh hards.
After stopping for hard tyres, Leclerc is not showing anything like spectacular pace. He climbs past Stroll into P11, but his example will not tempt others into stopping anytime soon.
Norris and McLaren are content with their current pace but they are losing half a second per lap to Verstappen now. But, in reality, their race isn't with the Red Bull driver, as they are keeping an eye on what's behind.
News from Alpine, as it is confirmed that Ocon's car was retired with a hydraulic leak.
Verstappen's unrelenting march at the front continues with another new fastest lap that grows his lead to 5.5s over Norris. Remember that time Norris was leading the British GP? Feels like a while ago now.
As Gasly drops back from Alonso, he is falling back into the clutches of Perez.
Red Bull could well be tempted to try the undercut here with the Mexican.
Red Bull could well be tempted to try the undercut here with the Mexican.
There's some big and threatening clouds looming over the track but that promise of rain isn't coming yet.
Stopwatch
Verstappen is leaning on his tyres now, as he puts in a new fastest lap of 1m32.295s to push his lead to 4.6s on lap 21.
Verstappen is 4.1s in the lead and clearly bored as he spots on the big screen Leclerc pitting. He's told not to worry about that.
Gasly is now stuck behind Alonso with the Alpine driver swarming all over the Aston Martin's gearbox.
Pit stop
Leclerc pits at the end of lap 19 to ditch his mediums for hards.
Sainz didn't do his homework last night. He's asked to go for Plan B by Ferrari but admits he cannot remember what that is... oh dear.
Into the points for Perez. He moves past Albon and into the points using DRS along the Hanger Straight.
Lots of tyre management going on at the front, while Russell still cannot find a way past Leclerc in fourth place despite running half a second back.
"Light drizzle," Verstappen reports on his radio.
Medium tyres off and soft tyres on for Tsunoda.
Verstappen has pushed out his lead to 3s over Norris, his last lap half a second quicker than the McLaren driver.
Tsunoda is the first driver to make a planned pitstop from P13.
Norris confirms over McLaren team radio he is going for Plan A, which is expected to be a one-stop race. So he'll be looking after his tyres to push out this stint.
By: Autosport Staff
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