2008 British Grand Prix

18:58 Thanks for joining us for our latest trip in the Autosport Live time machine. That definitely ranks among the greatest wet-weather drives - and perhaps to this day is Hamilton's greatest win.

See you next time!

18:57
Hamilton enjoys the podium after the British national anthem rings out. We doubt it will be his last Silverstone success...

18:55 It also means we head into the second half of the season with a three-way tie at the top of the standings:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 48 points
2. Felipe Massa - 48 points
3. Kimi Raikkonen - 48 points
4. Robert Kubica - 46 points
5. Nick Heidfeld - 36 points

18:54
Hamilton drinks in the adulation of the Silverstone crowd. What a win!

18:52 "Fantastic job guys, thank you very much for giving me the support. I know it's been a tough weekend, but we've done it, we've bloody done it, haha!" - Hamilton is a happy lad.

18:51 Nick Heidfeld comes home in second for BMW, continuing his recent good form, while Rubens Barrichello completes the podium for Honda. The experienced men shone through the rain today.

18:50 A sensational drive for Hamilton, who finishes over a minute clear of the field.

That's the biggest winning margin for an F1 race since Damon Hill won the 1995 Australian Grand Prix by two laps.

18:50 Lewis Hamilton WINS the British Grand Prix!

The fans are on their feet in the grandstands as they honour Hamilton, who takes his seventh Grand Prix victory and his first on home soil.

18:49 Last lap. Lewis Hamilton is 66 seconds clear of Heidfeld in P2.

18:47 And Kovalainen is finally ahead of Alonso! He gets the move done into the final corner, grabbing fifth. Been a great battle through the closing stages.

18:46 "OK Kaz, defend against Trulli, don't lose a position against Trulli" - Nakajima gets the call from Williams as he looks to add to his points haul for this year.

18:44 Alonso is being hounded by Kovalainen for fifth place, and both Nakajima and Trulli are coming into contention behind.

Four laps to go!

18:39 Raikkonen gets the pass done on Alonso! He dives past on the run towards Stowe and holds the position.

18:38 Hamilton has just lapped both Raikkonen and Alonso, remarkably. That means just three cars are on the lead lap: Hamilton, Heidfeld and Barrichello.

A demolition of the field from the young Briton here, who is just eight laps away from his seventh Grand Prix victory.

18:37 Raikkonen and Alonso are having a good scrap for P4 right now. If Raikkonen can pass the Renault, he'd set up a three-way tie at the top of the standings with Hamilton and Massa.

18:34
And Massa has had another spin. That's his fifth of the day.

18:30 Hamilton is now more than a minute clear of the field, while Massa has had ANOTHER spin.

A huge gulf between these two title protagonists today...

18:28 Barrichello comes into the pits for tyres and fuel. He comes back out in third, having built up a huge gap to the rest of the field with his stint on full wets. Honda looking good for its first podium of the year here.

18:26 Hamilton is running six seconds per lap faster than the rest of the intermediate runners! McLaren must be panicking that he's pushing too hard, but he seems to have it under control.

18:24 We're into the final quarter of the race now. There's a great scrap for P4 shaping up between Trulli, Alonso, Kovalainen and the recovering Raikkonen. But Hamilton is a long way clear at the front.

18:22 Barrichello has passed Heidfeld for second. He'll need to come on soon for fuel and, most likely, intermediates given the blue skies now over Silverstone! Peak British summer...

18:20 Barrichello is still flying on his full wets, bearing down on Heidfeld. But there was an issue with the fuel rig meaning nothing went into the car, so he will have to come in again.

18:19 Jenson Button has retired from the race, he was looking good for some points in what has been a torrid year for Honda. Rosberg has also pitted for repairs after a clash cost him his front wing.

Hamilton is nearly 40 seconds clear of Heidfeld in P2.

18:17 Kubica is out of the race!!

The title contender spins off at Abbey and beaches his car, bringing his day to an end. A huge blow for the Pole when he looked set for a podium finish.

18:16 "No more rain, no more rain," Alonso is told, as he is hounded by Barrichello. The full wets definitely are the quicker tyre right now, but the track will soon dry out.

18:14 The sun is now peeking through the clouds, meaning all of the drivers pitting are now opting for intermediates. Raikkonen has had another spin on the pit straight.

18:13 Hamilton dives into the pits from the lead. McLaren are going for another set of intermediates. They clearly think the worst of the rain has passed, opting against extreme wets.

Will that gamble pay off?

18:12 Hamilton is overtaken!

It's Barrichello who sweeps past him on the full wets, unlapping himself. It's very wet out there, but the rain is easing...

Raikkonen goes off-track, adding to Ferrari's woes.

18:10 And Massa has spun. Is that the third or fourth time today?

18:10 Hamilton and Kubica have both had some off-track moments! 24 laps to go and he's 25 seconds clear of the field, but is far from home...

18:09 We are nearing the window for the second round of pit stops, but the rain is hammering down. What will McLaren do with Hamilton? Keep him on intermediates, or make a switch for full wets?

Barrichello has pitted from P5 to take on full wets. His pace will be important to watch as the rain continues.

Piquet has just spun off track and beached his car after running fourth. It's getting very, very wet out there now.

18:08 Is that Glock? It is!

He's spun.

18:05 The rain is falling harder and harder, but the BMWs are still looking rapid as Kubica picks off Kovalainen with an easy move at Stowe. He is now P3.

Will anyone roll the dice and take full wets?

18:03
Raikkonen and Alonso are both going to try and go to the end of the race to make up for their tyre snafus.

18:01 "More rain," reports Heidfeld, before quickly being told the shower will pass. Hamilton is 23 seconds clear of Heidfeld at the front.

18:00 Raikkonen finally pits for a fresh set of tyres, having dropped all the way down the field. The Finn stutters coming out of the pits as well, rejoining in 11th.
Could be worse. He could be team-mate Massa, who is a lap down already.

17:57 Heidfeld has just taken four seconds out of Hamilton's lead. He's still a fair way back, but the BMW is looking really hooked up out there.

17:55 Raikkonen still isn't pitting - but Heidfeld is flying! He passes both Raikkonen and Kovalainen, taking advantage of the dithering McLaren to grab second place.
Fisichella has beached his Force India in the gravel, going off while trying to unlap himself - yes, really - against Hamilton.

17:52 Kovalainen is also closing right up on Raikkonen, gaining seven seconds in the last two laps. Ferrari will surely have to pull the 2007 world champion in for fresh tyres.
Alonso fell into the same trap in the Renault, and has just been passed by team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr. Oh dear.

17:50 Raikkonen has just lost five seconds in the last lap to Hamilton. The rain is hammering down, meaning Ferrari has made a big mistake. The gap is 12 seconds to Hamilton at the front.
This is playing straight into Hamilton and McLaren's hands.