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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Stroll's afternoon and season takes another turn for the worse, as Perez gets past for P11.
Just one more place for Perez before he hits the points-paying positions.
Just one more place for Perez before he hits the points-paying positions.
Russell is reporting drops of rain on his visor... so, if his Spanish GP experience is to be followed, there's a 100% chance of sweat in that Mercedes cockpit.
Rain is in the air... lots of teams are reporting it will hit the circuit in a couple of minutes. Spicy.
Ocon has pitted "to retire the car". He was P12 at the time. There is not yet any indication on why he has returned to the garage.
The trio at the front have pulled a small gap of 3.6s on Leclerc in fourth, who still has Russell tucked up behind him.
At the start of lap eight Verstappen has a 0.9s lead over Norris and reports that his "car's pulling is a bit weird", but his concerns are soothed as he's told that is due to the windy conditions.
Hulkenberg has stopped for a new front wing after contact with Perez as the Red Bull driver continued his recovery. Perez is up to P13 and is chasing Ocon.
But this time, Hamilton makes it stick! Down the Wellington Straight, he opened DRS and flew past Alonso. That was as easy as it comes.
Hamilton has now disappeared into the distance and is hunting down Carlos Sainz.
Hamilton has now disappeared into the distance and is hunting down Carlos Sainz.
Hamilton opens the DRS flap but it's not enough. He looks for a lunge into Vale and but can't pull the move off.
Norris is told Piastri has been ordered to hold position in third behind him, so that both McLaren cars can chase Verstappen and pull away from the rest.
Hamilton is now all over the gearbox of Alonso for P7. He chases through Copse and will have DRS down the Hanger Straight.
Russell looks for a way by Leclerc, but some robust defending from the Ferrari forces the Mercedes to yield at Stowe.
That McLaren is slippery in a straight line, but there's nothing Norris can do to stop Verstappen with DRS, as he charges into the lead under braking at Brooklands on lap five.
For those wondering about the weather, there is currently a 40% risk of rain for the race.
Perez makes up one position to Williams driver Sargeant. Both drivers are on medium tyres.
The problem for Norris is that Verstappen is coming. On lap four he is half a second back and in DRS range.
Norris reacted 0.003s quicker to the lights than Verstappen according to the F1 data boffins. It made all the difference to give him the lead into the first corner.
The gaps all the way through the field are tiny with few greater than a second. DRS is activated and now the real fun begins!
Norris is trying to scamper clear of DRS range of Verstappen, which has been enabled at the end of lap two.
Sergio Perez has also dropped a position at the start, down from P15 to P16. That was not in Red Bull's plan for a recovery drive from another shockingly bad Saturday for the Mexican.
Further back Russell made the most of his soft tyres to get ahead of Sainz into fifth, while Hamilton had a poor start and dropped to eighth.
Hamilton wastes no time in making back a position to Gasly, climbing back to P8 after a disappointing opening lap.
Piastri is attacking Verstappen at Copse - flashbacks to 2021 - but the Australian keeps his nose clean and keeps station in third. A stunning opening lap by Norris who leads at the end of lap one!
Stroll and Ocon are going wheel-to-wheel with Albon holding onto the final points-paying position so far.
Hamilton is down to P9 after running wide into the complex on the first lap!
Lights green
Norris gets the better start and he leads Verstappen into Turn 1!
Here we go...
Everyone is away smoothly, with plenty of heat being put into the tyres for those on mediums and hards. Verstappen has stretched out the F1 car train as a result on his way to the starting grid.
Green flag
The formation lap is under way.... here we go.
So, watch out for Russell on softs being punchy at the start given everyone ahead of him starts on mediums.
Starting tyres: Russell, Ocon, Tsunoda and de Vries all start on softs, Hulkenberg and Bottas are on hards and the rest are on mediums.
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Right, the pre-race faffing and fun is almost complete and the drivers are getting into their cars. Just 10 minutes to go until lights out.
The British national anthem is given a, erm, unique rendition by Damian Lewis and a saxophone player. It was different but it worked.
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We had a few rain showers this morning but so far things have remained dry at Silverstone - but never fear, there is a 40% chance of rain for the race. It is the British GP after all.
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Here's what Pirelli predicts for the best strategies today:
Back to the real F1 action, there's a good chance of a few strategy splits this afternoon to keep the action nicely spiced. But can anyone catch Verstappen? Given his current form it is a long shot, but you never know.
No, that isn't a surprise 11th F1 team on the grid - particularly given the resistance from the current teams about that prospect - but it is actually a fake team as part of the Apple F1 film being shot at Silverstone. Here's the full story: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/mercedes-reveals-involvement-in-apex-f1-movie/10493109/
Apex GP car
Photo by: Alex Kalinauckas
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But just how did McLaren beat every driver on the grid bar Verstappen? Here's how: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/sunwhat-f1-gps-data-reveals-about-mclarens-shining-silverstone-qualifying/10493619/
The cars of Lando Norris, McLaren, pole man Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL60, in Parc Ferme after Qualifying
Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images
By: Autosport Staff
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