2021 British GP sees competitive action on all three days with qualifying on Friday, F1 Sprint - the new shorter race that will set grid - on Saturday, and the showpiece Silverstone race on Sunday
This weekend's bumper Grand Prix sees one of the biggest changes to the weekend schedule in F1 history as for the first time, drivers will be racing on Saturday to set the grid for the showpiece race on Sunday, with fast-paced competitive action on all three days at the Home of British Motorsport, which is set to host a capacity crowd.
The new-look schedule, debuted by F1 in a bid to spice up the spectacle, sees the traditional qualifying hour take place at the untraditional time of Friday at 6pm. But rather than set the grid for Sunday's race, that will instead dictate the positions for the F1 Sprint.
F1 Sprint will take place on Saturday at 4.30pm and is essentially a qualifying sprint race (hence the name), with drivers pushing their cars to the limit for a short, flat-out 100km race around the iconic Northamptonshire circuit.
That unique event in turn will set the grid for the usual Sunday race at 3pm, as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen prepare to lock horns again for a Grand Prix that could make all the difference in the championship battle.
F1's new sprint format: The key points
- There will be a qualifying hour and it is the usual format (Q1, Q2, Q3), but it is taking place on Friday evening rather than Saturday and sets the grid for the F1 Sprint on Saturday. The one major change is that drivers are only allowed to use soft tires for the session.
- F1 Sprint is a race over 100km - around a third of the distance of usual F1 races - and there will be the least number of laps that exceed 100km. It should therefore be a 17-lap race.
- Drivers are allowed to choose any tire they wish, and unlike the usual Sunday races, there is no compulsory pit-stop - meaning we should get wheel-to-wheel battles from start to finish.
- In a further shake-up, the top three drivers from that race will be awarded points; three points to the winner, two points to second place, and one point for third.
- The order from F1 Sprint will then set the grid for Sunday's British GP - which is still the main event for the weekend with the usual race format and points system (top-10 score points, 25 for winner, 18 for second, etc). Drivers will be granted free tire choice for that race.
- There are practice sessions for the weekend, but just the two rather than the usual three. They take place on Friday before qualifying, and Saturday before F1 Sprint.
Another Max vs Hamilton rivalry
The 2021 British GP will witness a unique moment in F1 history this weekend - and there is also the added bonus of an intense title battle. But it is Max Verstappen, and not home favorite Lewis Hamilton, who has all the momentum.
After sweeping the triple header with three straight victories, first-time title challenger Verstappen now holds a 32-point lead over Hamilton, who has never overcome such a big deficit before.
He will hope to find form at an event that has always treated him well, with seven-time F1 champion Hamilton a seven-time winner at Silverstone.
Hamilton should be aided by a new Mercedes upgrade package, as the world champions look to gain much-needed ground on Red Bull.
Verstappen, meanwhile, is aiming for his first British GP victory and his sixth of the season.
The battles further down the grid have also been thrilling this year, with Lando Norris the pick of the other drivers and looking to delight the bumper crowd this weekend.
McLaren's young British driver is fourth in the championship and comes into the British GP off another superb podium in Austria. He will hope to spearhead McLaren's charge in their fight against Ferrari.
Race Guide
| Date and show | On Air | Session start |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, July 15 | ||
| The F1 Show Live | 6.30pm | |
| Friday, July 16 | ||
| Practice One | 2pm | 2.30pm |
| Qualifying | 5.25pm | 6pm |
| Saturday, July 17 | ||
| Practice Two | 11.30am | 12pm |
| F1 Sprint | 3.40pm | 4.30pm |
| Sunday, July 18 | ||
| The British GP | 1.30pm | 3pm |
*All times are in GMT
Know the Circuit
Silverstone
When was the track built?
Little did those laying the perimeter road to the RAF Silverstone airfield in 1942 know that they were setting down what would become one of the world’s greatest race tracks. But, well, they were! The Silverstone circuit was first used for a proper motor race in 1947 – although sadly, a local sheep lost its life during the proceedings…
When was its first Grand Prix?
Silverstone was the first Grand Prix, hosting the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship round on May 13 1950. Old campaigner Giuseppe Farina, who’d take that year’s title, won the race in his Alfa Romeo 158.
What’s the circuit like?
At the 2018 British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton compared a flat-out lap around Silverstone to flying a fighter jet, which should tell you all you need to know about the Northamptonshire circuit. Despite numerous layout changes over the years, Silverstone has always maintained its essential character as one of the fastest tracks on the F1 calendar, while historic corners like Maggotts, Becketts and Abbey provide some of the biggest challenges for racing drivers anywhere in the world.
Why go?
It’s hard to stop the goose bumps from prickling as you walk around one of the great cathedrals of motorsport, while in terms of atmosphere, the British fans are always reliably raucous – this is the country that invented football (that’s soccer, mind), after all.
Where is the best place to watch?
The Becketts grandstand has to rank highly on the ultimate list of places to watch an F1 car in action – believe us, your eyes will be on stalks when you see how quickly the drivers zip through Maggotts and Becketts. Further along the track, the Stowe grandstands will place you at one of the best overtaking spots, while watching the drivers chuck their cars into that corner on their own is nearly as good.
Circuit Stats
First Race: 1950
Number of Laps: 52
Circuit Lenght: 5.981 Km
Race Distance: 306.198 Kms
Lap Record: 1.27.097 (Max Verstappen)
Our Predictions:
Lewis Hamilton has won six of the last seven races at Silverstone but is hard to fancy ahead of Max Verstappen in this year’s British Grand Prix predictions.
Red Bull made it five straight victories when dominating the Austrian double-header and there seems little Mercedes can do to redress the balance.
Verstappen looks a worthy favourite at 8/11 in the British Grand Prix odds, with Hamilton available at 13/8.
Mercedes do have an upgrade planned for this event but Hamilton is sceptical over whether it will be enough to bridge the current gap.
“Not really,” commented the 36-year-old. “It is definitely not going to make up the time.
“There is a long way to go but we cannot match Red Bull at the moment. We will do our best but it is definitely going to be tough.”
The seven-time world champion will arrive for the 10th round of a scheduled 23 trailing Verstappen by 32 points in the title race.
“These past five races have been so difficult,” added Hamilton, who was a distant second at the Styrian Grand Prix and only fourth in the Austrian Grand Prix.
“Obviously, I have lost a lot of ground in the championship, so it has been pretty painful.”
-by Amaan Attar
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