The fairytale script demanded a debut home win for Lewis Hamilton, the man single-handedly responsible for the surge of patriotic interest that saw record crowds filling Silverstone throughout the British Grand Prix weekend.
But it seems that 2007 is not the season for home victories, for just as tens of thousands of Spaniards left Barcelona disappointed by Fernando Alonso's third place, so the British fans had to watch the object of their adoration overcome by Kimi Raikkonen and Alonso at Silverstone.
If Hamilton hadn't over-achieved so spectacularly in his first eight GPs, then third at Silverstone would be regarded as an outstanding result for a rookie. It was still better than any British driver had managed on home ground since David Coulthard's 2000 victory. And it maintained Hamilton's breathtaking feat of taking a podium from every Formula One start to date, while ensuring his championship lead remained at a comfortable twelve points.