Formula 1 rolls into Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, the tenth round of the 2023 World Championship (Sunday, 14:00).
We're not even halfway through the season but already the title race is a foregone conclusion as Max Verstappen holds an 81-point lead at the top of the standings. The Red Bull driver has won seven grands prix, including each of the last five, finishing second in the other two races and a third straight drivers' title looks his for the taking.
- Charles Leclerc podium finish
- Nico Hulkenberg points finish
- Winning margin over 12 seconds
Leclerc To Continue Silverstone Affair
It has been another frustrating season for Charles Leclerc but at least the Ferrari driver got a confidence boost in Austria last week with a season-best second-place finish.
The car has been quick in qualifying all year but struggled to show the same level of competitiveness in race trim.
The fact that Leclerc was able to finish a comfortable second at the Red Bull Ring, which is tough on tyres, is a very encouraging sign heading to Silverstone, where specially toughened tyres are being introduced to cope with the unusually high energy loads.
Leclerc has always gone well at the circuit, even going back to his days in the junior racing categories.
The Monegasque driver finished fourth in Britain last year, ending a run of three years on the podium, but he was severely compromised by his team's strategy when the safety car was deployed. His team-mate Carlos Sainz went on to win the race, though, and Ferrari will be eyeing another strong performance.
CHARLES LECLERC A PODIUM FINISH
Leclerc backed to finish on the podium
Hulkenberg Hoping For Rain
It wouldn't be the Great British summer of sport without a good lashing of rain and this weekend looks set to see wet weather tyres pressed into action.
The Haas team moved up to seventh in the constructors' standings with Nico Hulkenberg's superb sixth place in the sodden Sprint race in Austria last weekend and they will be doing a rain dance this week.
The car has a tendency to destroy its tyres in dry conditions, but on a wet track the car's characteristics get the best performance out of the rubber.
Hulkenberg held his own in second place until the track started to dry at the Red Bull Ring and a downpour this weekend could help the German driver collect more points.
Verstappen eyeing up an 8th win
Verstappen In A Class Of His Own
There have been some great battles down the field this year but Max Verstappen is having a year for the ages and it would take some drama to stop him extending his winning streak to six.
The Red Bull driver won in Monaco and Spain by more than 20 seconds and while he crossed the line last week only five seconds ahead of Leclerc, he had made an additional pitstop two laps from the finish for fresh tyres to take the extra point for fastest lap.
Without that he would have won by half the track. The Dutchman is unlikely to try the same move at Silverstone, where making a pitstop costs more time than it does in Austria, so another wide-margin victory could well be on the cards.
WINNING MARGIN OVER 12 SECONDS
