Rain to shine, OK not quite, at Silverstone

Michelle Foster
Silverstone-rain-board-PA

Despite fears that the wind would once again “make a fool” of the drivers, as George Russell put it on Friday, most kept it on the black stuff on Saturday at Silverstone.

How Saturday’s story unfolded…

Lewis Hamilton took to social media to let fans know about his just-for-Silverstone lid… just in case no one noticed it on Friday.

British rookie George Russell was the first to set a lap time in FP3, clocking a rather slow 1:37.9. It was over 10s down on last year’s P1 from final practice.

George-Russell-leads-Robert-Kubica-medium-Pirelli-PA

PlanetF1’s deputy editor Mark Scott was relishing his view from Stowe – while hoping that the 20% chance of rain forecast would turn to naught.

Alas Mark’s wishes didn’t come true…

Sebastian Vettel joined the rather short list of those going out for a single lap on inters only to pit after just one lap. Halfway through FP3 and only three drivers – Russell, Valtteri Bottas, and Robert Kubica had set times.

Ferrari boss: Red Bull battle a further boost

SportPesa Racing Point put the downtime to good use…

With the action finally underway, Lewis Hamilton battled Valtteri Bottas and Charles Leclerc for the top spot on the timesheet.

Max Verstappen put in the laps in his James Bond 007 branded RB17…

Red Bull are wary of Mercedes at the slow and technical Hungaroring.

Valtteri Bottas almost met the barrier as Daniil Kvyat tried to pass Charles Leclerc and squeezed the Mercedes driver.

FP3 ended with a Ferrari 1-2…

Times were being set for fun in Q1 before Leclerc made it a little more serious with a 1:25.628, the first driver into the 1:25s this weekend. Hamilton used his first lap to take that track record back.

Kubica and Russell kept up their 100% respective records of Q1 eliminations in 2019 – they were joined by Stroll, Kvyat and Magnussen.

Kevin Magnussen believes Haas do things that "shouldn't be possible" in qualy, but wants that in the race.

The tight feel at the top continued in Q2 – Leclerc was fastest again with Bottas, Hamilton, Verstappen and Gasly close behind.

At the other end, Perez, Grosjean, Sainz, Raikkonen and Giovinazzi were the drivers to depart.

Bottas took pole for the British Grand Prix. It was a Mercedes front-row lockout, but the top four, completed by Leclerc and Verstappen, were seperated by under two tenths.

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