Silverstone, the long show: from the victory from Schumacher’s pits to that of Hamilton on three wheels

Formula One stops at Silverstone, the English circuit created from a military airport which in 1950 hosted the first race in the history of the competition. With 18 bends and 5.8 km of travel, the track is configured as one of the most technical and spectacular of the season. After marking the debut of the first Sprint Qualifying, in 2021, Silverstone is preparing to welcome another novelty: the single-seaters will take to the track mounting a new type of tyre, more resistant. It is, in fact, one of the most stressful tracks for the tyres. Lewis Hamilton, the home idol, knows something about it, who triumphed in 2020 by crossing the finish line on three wheels, after the front left burst on the last lap.

Hamilton’s reign, victory on three wheels

In 2017 it was the turn of the Ferraris of Raikkonen and Vettel, three years later the Mercedes of Bottas and Hamilton. Silverstone, thanks to the difficult tire management, often offers unpredictable endings. In 2020, the explosion of the Finn’s tire, three laps from the end, sounds like an alarm bell for the wall of the German team, which however chooses not to call Hamilton, race leader, to the pits. It is the decision that gives the enthusiasts one of the craziest last laps ever: in turn 7 the English driver’s left front tire gives way. Verstappen, 30 seconds off with fresher compounds, launches into a comeback that seems to materialize hairpin after hairpin. Nothing to do: Hamilton manages to tame his Mercedes on three wheels, also tackling the splendid Maggots-Becketts-Chapel sequence without particular problems, the most iconic and challenging stretch of track, usually covered at over 250 km/h on average. The Dutchman from Red Bull finished second, 6 seconds behind Hamilton, who in that season achieved his seventh world title, a result that earned him an important recognition: the main straight of the circuit was named after him. But the melee with Verstappen is only postponed.

Hamilton rams Verstappen

In 2021 the Dutchman starts from pole in front of the landlord. This time everything happens on the first lap. Hamilton ventures an impossible overtaking at the Copse curve, involuntarily ramming Verstappen, who crashes into the barriers at 300 km/h. The Englishman is sanctioned with a 10-second penalty, which still allows him to obtain the eighth success (absolute record) at Silverstone. “Fortunately I’m fine, but seeing him celebrate was disrespectful”, commented on Twitter by Verstappen, who in the meantime had ended up in hospital for some tests.

Schumacher wins from the pits and forces the FIA ​​to change the regulation

Of Michael Schumacher’s 91 victories, the 1998 one at Silverstone is certainly one of the most ingenious. Towards the end of the race, the Ferrari driver, in command, is sanctioned with a “stop and go” (forced pit stop) for lapping under the yellow flag. A penalty that Schumacher only discounts on the last lap, when he crosses the finish line from the pits. The complaint presented by McLaren, second with Häkkinen, is rejected by the FIA, which however modifies the regulation: after that episode, the driver who does not serve the penalties in the race will be sanctioned with 25 seconds.

Vettel teased him for the victory “Here, at their home”

One of Ferrari’s most iconic victories at Silverstone. In 2018 Sebastian Vettel, who started second, finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton consolidating the temporary leadership of the world championship which will see the Englishman triumph. However, the victory at Silverstone is full of meaning: Ferrari interrupts the overwhelming power of Mercedes, which had been winning in England since 2013. A detail that did not go unnoticed by Vettel, who at the end of the GP opens a radio communication with the wall that has remained in the hearts of Ferraristi . The four-times world champion follows the usual “Thank you guys” with a “Here, at their home”, accompanied by a mocking laugh. The headquarters of the Mercedes F1 team is in fact in Brackley, in the United Kingdom.

Sainz, victory and controversy. Leclerc’s masterpiece overtaking

Lots of controversy after Carlos Sainz’s first Formula One victory, in 2022 at Silverstone. Team mate Leclerc was in the lead up to 12 laps from the end, who had managed to take the lead from fourth place, despite the damage sustained to the front wing after a contact with Perez. The safety car’s entry onto the track shuffles the cards and allows the drivers to return to the pits to mount new tires, but the Ferrari wall chooses to leave Leclerc out and let only Sainz stop. A decision that will reward the Spaniard, causing Leclerc to lose positions, who with used tires tries to defend himself against the attacks of Perez and Hamilton, to whom he gives up the lowest step of the podium after a splendid duel in which he is the protagonist of an impossible overtaking , from outside to Copse.