'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The British Grand Prix weekend is well underway and the tenth race of the season is looking to be a thriller. A single point separates both championship contenders, making the title race become more exciting than ever. Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel would be looking to go head to head during the race, creating for a thrilling viewing for the fans.
Mercedes have come to the Silverstone circuit to bounce back after an embarrassing display at the Austrian Grand Prix with a double retirement. They would be looking to putting forward their best foot at one of Hamilton's favourite circuits. Valtteri Bottas, too, would be hoping for a healthy amount of points to finish the third consecutive race weekend on a high.
Meanwhile, the midfield battle also continues to shape up beautifully, with Haas, McLaren and Force India caught in a tight bunch after the top four constructors. While Renault has an 11 point lead as the best of the rest group, it can be snatched by any of the three below it.
The Silverstone circuit has undergone changes and has been resurfaced, causing agony to a few drivers over the weekend. However, that would take nothing away from an interesting race that is surely on our hands this Sunday.
#5 Williams woes to continue
Williams is currently a lonely last in the constructor’s table, with all four of their championship points coming from Lance Stroll.
The practice sessions showed that Williams had the pace for atleast getting into the second part of qualifying, but slipping through gravel effectively ended Stroll’s qualifying session.
Taking a spin into gravel also left Sergey Sirotkin with one quick lap to give it his all, but the Russian could not match pace with those ahead and finished 18th. He was only ahead of the two drivers who did not complete a timed lap around the circuit, Lance and Brendon Hartley.
Starting 18th and 19th, Williams faces an uphill task of ending up in the top ten in the race. It looks increasingly far-fetched that the UK based constructors have a fruitful Grand Prix.
#4 Charles Leclerc extends astounding run of form
Charles Leclerc has time and again proved why he is known to be a future Ferrari driver. He has had an outstanding rookie season so far, out-qualifying his more experienced teammate, Marcus Ericsson, seven times in nine races.
The Monegasque racing driver has outshone in a below par car and after qualifying 9th for the British Grand Prix, the 20-year-old is well on his way to finish in the points.
Leclerc has finished in the top ten consecutively for the last three Grands Prix and might have had a better record if he hadn’t retired out of the Monaco Grand Prix. He would be looking to extend that good run over this weekend.
#3 Despondent race for Toro Rosso
Pierre Gasly might have been able to qualify 14th, but Toro Rosso is still a long way off from scoring points this weekend. Brendon Hartley suffered a horrible crash in FP3 due to a suspension failure and consequently was ruled out of qualifying without setting any lap times.
This is the first year of the Toro Rosso-Honda partnership and so far the result is an eighth place in the constructor’s table.
Gasly finished the Austrian Grand Prix just out of the points while Hartley had a non-finish. It is increasingly looking that the Italian team would not be able to improve this weekend either.
#2 Another healthy finish for Haas
Haas got both cars home in fourth and fifth in the Red Bull Ring and they would be looking to take the momentum into the British Grand Prix. Over the weekend, the United States-based team have put their foot down and shown impressive pace.
Kevin Magnussen qualified ahead of teammate, Romain Grosjean, and both the drivers currently hold the fort as best of the rest on the grid in seventh and eighth. Last weekend, Haas showed what they can achieve if they have a hassle free weekend and they would be hoping to recreate that performance this time around and make bad luck a thing of the past.
#1 Close fight between Vettel and Hamilton
Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton showed that they are evenly matched going into race day. Only four hundreds of a second separated the two drivers during qualifying, with Lewis taking a lead by his race number, 0.044 seconds.
The British racer has a history of dominating during his home Grand Prix and the 33-year-old would be looking to extend his strong-hold on Sunday. However, the German would definitely give Lewis a run for his money, especially if the temperatures soar high tomorrow.
The odds are tipped in the favour of the Briton as he is starting on pole, but with Vettel close behind him, the championship battle is heating up to be an intriguing one.
What do you think will happen in the British GP? Sound off your opinions in the comments section!
