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2008 British Grand Prix
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Heidfeld really showing the advantage of fresh tyres, passing Alonso and Glock in the space of two corners. Have Ferrari made a mistake keeping Raikkonen on a used set?
Not much in it as they left the pits - but the rain looks to be returning...
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Hamilton and Raikkonen pit together!
They come in separated by only a couple of car lengths - but there's a split in strategy in the pits. Raikkonen takes fuel only, while McLaren opt to change Hamilton's tyres.
Hamilton comes back out just ahead of Raikkonen, retaining his advantage. But who has made the right tyre call?
They come in separated by only a couple of car lengths - but there's a split in strategy in the pits. Raikkonen takes fuel only, while McLaren opt to change Hamilton's tyres.
Hamilton comes back out just ahead of Raikkonen, retaining his advantage. But who has made the right tyre call?
Alonso pits from third, he's been running well for Renault. Raikkonen and Hamilton are yet to blink at the front.
Alonso opts against taking fresh tyres, only receiving fuel. That seems to be a hope for no more rain. Will that pay off?
Alonso opts against taking fresh tyres, only receiving fuel. That seems to be a hope for no more rain. Will that pay off?
Heidfeld reports rain hitting the track, but is told it will be "short, light drizzle."
Raikkonen closes up again on Hamilton at the front as the McLaren pit crew begins to prepare for a stop - with Kovalainen diving into the pits.
Raikkonen closes up again on Hamilton at the front as the McLaren pit crew begins to prepare for a stop - with Kovalainen diving into the pits.
Stopwatch
A new fastest lap from Raikkonen reduces the gap to Hamilton to 3.3 seconds.
Radio Comms
"Come on, we need to get back up to Heikki," Alonso is told.
Kovalainen is, of course, the man who has replaced Alonso at his team for each of the past two seasons, firstly taking his place at Renault for 2007 before joining McLaren for this year.
Kovalainen is, of course, the man who has replaced Alonso at his team for each of the past two seasons, firstly taking his place at Renault for 2007 before joining McLaren for this year.
The rain has stopped completely and a drying line is emerging. Will anyone brave a switch to dry tyres at the upcoming pit stops?
An ever-reducing gap at the front as Raikkonen chases Hamilton. The drying track appears to be coming towards Ferrari.
And now Raikkonen is really starting to claw into Hamilton's advantage. He's only 4.5 seconds off the leader now, going over half a second per lap faster.
Felipe Massa has now latched on to the rear of the field, trailing Nico Rosberg in 16th. All of the teams are preparing for more rain to hit soon, though.
Radio Comms
"We expect more rain in five minutes," Nelson Piquet Jr. is told.
Sutil goes flying off the circuit after losing it in the rain, and is beached in the gravel. Very lucky not to wipe out Bourdais at the Abbey chicane as he went right across the front of the Toro Rosso.
Sutil goes flying off the circuit after losing it in the rain, and is beached in the gravel. Very lucky not to wipe out Bourdais at the Abbey chicane as he went right across the front of the Toro Rosso.
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Raikkonen is up to second! A spin for Kovalainen has handed the Ferrari driver P2.
Kovalainen lost his car under braking at Abbey, leaving him a distant third now.
Hamilton is pulling away at the front, but can Raikkonen close in clear air?
Kovalainen lost his car under braking at Abbey, leaving him a distant third now.
Hamilton is pulling away at the front, but can Raikkonen close in clear air?
Mark Webber is making some moves, passing Bourdais at Vale before picking off Sutil as well. He's fought back to 12th now after his first lap spin.
Stopwatch
Hamilton is flying at the front through the damp conditions, now into the 1m33s, pulling out over a second in the last three laps on Kovalainen.
Radio Comms
"We need to find one second, find one second. Push, Nick, push!" - Heidfeld's engineer gives him the hurry-up running in fifth, eight seconds back from Alonso ahead.
Quote
David Coulthard has spoken after an early bath following a clash with Toro Rosso driver Vettel: "Visibility was incredibly bad as you can imagine. I was incredibly close to Sebastian coming out of Abbey after a wobble out. I'm sorry two cars are out. The worst thing there was really keeping tyre temperature."
Hamilton has pulled out 1.8 seconds on Kovalainen in just one lap. The Finn is now looking in his mirrors to pick out Raikkonen in the spray.
Massa is running P18 for Ferrari, stone dead last.
Massa is running P18 for Ferrari, stone dead last.
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Hamilton takes the lead!
He dives down the inside at Stowe with a brave pass in the wet, what a move! Now he can try and push on as Raikkonen and Alonso start to close up.
He dives down the inside at Stowe with a brave pass in the wet, what a move! Now he can try and push on as Raikkonen and Alonso start to close up.
Raikkonen is beginning to close up on the McLarens at the front. Hamilton keeps trying a different line to Kovalainen through the final corner, but isn't able to get close enough to try a pass still.
Massa's had another spin! The championship leader was running last anyway, but that will only put him further back. He's really struggling in those conditions...
Massa has also dropped back after a spin - but the two McLarens are pushing on at the front, with Hamilton hounding Kovalainen for the lead.
Crash
David Coulthard and Sebastian Vettel have both gone off and beached their cars - their days are over. Bad news for Coulthard in his final British Grand Prix appearance.
Yellow flag
Yellow flags as Webber spins coming onto the Hangar Straight and drops to the back of the pack - gutting after starting on the front row.
Lights green
LIGHTS OUT AT SILVERSTONE!
Hamilton makes a sensational start from P4 to dive up the inside of Webber and Raikkonen into Copse!
And there's a touch between the two McLaren! Kovalainen catches the snap and is able to retain the lead as they come through Maggots and Becketts.
A great start for the McLarens!
Hamilton makes a sensational start from P4 to dive up the inside of Webber and Raikkonen into Copse!
And there's a touch between the two McLaren! Kovalainen catches the snap and is able to retain the lead as they come through Maggots and Becketts.
A great start for the McLarens!
Lots of noise at every corner for home favourite Hamilton. After missing out on victory from pole last year, he'll be eager to make up for it from P4 on the grid.
Other home heroes are David Coulthard, who announced his plan to retire at the end of 2008 just before the race weekend, and Jenson Button. They line up P11 and P17 respectively.
Other home heroes are David Coulthard, who announced his plan to retire at the end of 2008 just before the race weekend, and Jenson Button. They line up P11 and P17 respectively.
The formation lap is now underway at Silverstone! Lots of spray being kicked up by the cars, this could make for a tricky start.
The grid is clearing now, with the formation lap about to begin.
Radio Comms
Robert Kubica is informed the forecast has changed, with rain now set to hit the track as the race starts instead of 6-7 laps in.
The drivers are set to start the race on intermediate tyres. This could be a day where we see some wet-weather specialists really come into their own...
The full grid is:
1. Heikki Kovalainen - McLaren
2. Mark Webber - Red Bull
3. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari
4. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren
5. Nick Heidfeld - BMW Sauber
6. Fernando Alonso - Renault
7. Nelson Piquet Jr - Renault
8. Sebastian Vettel - Toro Rosso
9. Felipe Massa - Ferrari
10. Robert Kubica - BMW Sauber
11. David Coulthard - Red Bull
12. Timo Glock - Toyota
13. Sebastien Bourdais - Toro Rosso
14. Jarno Trulli - Toyota
15. Kazuki Nakajima - Williams
16. Rubens Barrichello - Honda
17. Jenson Button - Honda
18. Nico Rosberg - Williams
19. Adrian Sutil - Force India
20. Giancarlo Fisichella - Force India
1. Heikki Kovalainen - McLaren
2. Mark Webber - Red Bull
3. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari
4. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren
5. Nick Heidfeld - BMW Sauber
6. Fernando Alonso - Renault
7. Nelson Piquet Jr - Renault
8. Sebastian Vettel - Toro Rosso
9. Felipe Massa - Ferrari
10. Robert Kubica - BMW Sauber
11. David Coulthard - Red Bull
12. Timo Glock - Toyota
13. Sebastien Bourdais - Toro Rosso
14. Jarno Trulli - Toyota
15. Kazuki Nakajima - Williams
16. Rubens Barrichello - Honda
17. Jenson Button - Honda
18. Nico Rosberg - Williams
19. Adrian Sutil - Force India
20. Giancarlo Fisichella - Force India
Heavy rain in the build-up to lights out is only increasing the pressure for pole-man Kovalainen. Can he convert it into a first win today?
Hamilton’s fortunes showed little sign of turning in qualifying on Saturday as a mistake on his first Q3 lap meant he could only qualify fourth on the grid.
McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen was able to storm to his first F1 pole position, finishing half a second clear of Mark Webber, who lines up second for Red Bull.
Raikkonen will start third alongside Hamilton on the second row, while title contenders Massa and Kubica are down in P9 and P10 respectively.
McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen was able to storm to his first F1 pole position, finishing half a second clear of Mark Webber, who lines up second for Red Bull.
Raikkonen will start third alongside Hamilton on the second row, while title contenders Massa and Kubica are down in P9 and P10 respectively.
So let’s set the scene for the race, which gets underway a little after 3pm BST.
Following his victory last time out at the French Grand Prix, Felipe Massa currently leads the drivers’ championship for Ferrari - but there’s a close race hotting up behind him.
Robert Kubica sits just two points behind for BMW Sauber, while Massa’s team-mate and reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen is third on 45 points.
But one man in need of a big result today is Lewis Hamilton. After his embarrassing pit lane crash in Canada and failure to score in France, he is now 10 points back from the lead in the standings.
Following his victory last time out at the French Grand Prix, Felipe Massa currently leads the drivers’ championship for Ferrari - but there’s a close race hotting up behind him.
Robert Kubica sits just two points behind for BMW Sauber, while Massa’s team-mate and reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen is third on 45 points.
But one man in need of a big result today is Lewis Hamilton. After his embarrassing pit lane crash in Canada and failure to score in France, he is now 10 points back from the lead in the standings.
F1 are re-running the race across its social channels today as part of the current drive to keep racing on our screens during the COVID-19-enforced break - and have a classic in store today.
Hello and welcome to the latest Autosport “live” blog, today looking back on the 2008 British Grand Prix.
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
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