LONDON: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both won in Silverstone last year but the new experimental racing format caused a new challenge for the title rivals of Formula One on their return to the British Grand Prix circuit this weekend.
The biggest sports crowd in the UK since the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic, with 140,000 expected on Sunday, will see the history of Formula One made with debut on Saturday from qualified competitions without pitstops.
Slverstone, where the championship begins in 1950, is the first of the three songs to be tried by 100 km of a long half-hour dash to determine the position of the pole and set the grid for the main event the next day.
“Even if …
Sprint is just a predecessor for the main event, I think the driver will be desperate to defeat each other and show who is the fastest and who is the strongest,” commented by the Director of the Formula Manager of someone Ross Brawn.
The three-part qualifying session for sprints will be held on Friday instead of the usual second practice, the team’s meaning has only one hour on the track to organize their car before competitive action.
An error on Friday is likely to bring far greater consequences now, while fans miss last year due to restrictions Covid-19 – can look forward to meaningful actions on three days.
Points will be offered for the top three on Saturday, which means a driver who won both races and sets the fastest lap on the night can be a bank maximum 29.
“I hope to get out of the race with 29 points,” said Verstappen Red Bull, now 32 Clear points from Hamilton after winning five of the nine races including the last three.
“I hope from the perspective of the racing will go home,” he told Sky Sports television in a naughty nod to soccer singing singing by British fans before their team lost the European Championship final last week to Italy.
World Champion Seven Times Hamilton will aim to record the victory of the eighth home to regain lost momentum, with the Mercedes team also brings new parts to make cars faster.
He will also compete in Silverstone for the first time since they named straight afterwards.
Verstappen, winner of the 70th warning race last year when the former Windswept airfield hosted one round in a row at the pandemic-hit calendar, it could also secure a sixth consecutive victory for the Red Bull powered Honda.
“Mercedes has been very strong there for years, and Lewis has the support of his house too.
So we hope it is a big challenge,” said Red Bull Principal Team Christian Horner.
Lando Norris McLaren will enjoy strong home support after claiming three podiums so far this season and narrower lost on a first pole in Austria.
“Seeing a full naturation and everything feels a little more normal is something I really look forward to,” said the 21-year-old player.
George Russell, in Williams, is the third British driver in the grid and will raise a big spirit if he can score the first team in two years.
Formula One fans will also get a glimpse of the future with online presentations on Thursday the car is 2022, which reflects new rules designed to make racing closer.