Hamilton ends long win drought with thrilling British GP victory

Lewis Hamilton claimed his first victory in 945 days at a thrilling wet-dry British Grand Prix, to set a new record for most race wins at a single event with his ninth at Silverstone. 

In the early stages of the race, Hamilton held position behind Mercedes team-mate and pole-sitter George Russell for the opening stint, but the seven-time champion got past on Lap 18 as drizzle began to fall. 

By Lap 21 however, both Hamilton and Russell had been passed by Lando Norris, who was jumped by Max Verstappen on the opening lap, with Norris beginning a charge towards the front on Lap 17.

Norris, Hamilton and Russell all pitted for intermediates on Lap 27, with the McLaren enjoying a 3.2s lead over the Mercedes but after Russell retired on Lap 34, same the switch back to dry tyres.

Hamilton pitted for softs at the end of Lap 38, with Verstappen stopping for hards, as Norris continued for one further lap, switching to softs. 

It set up a final chase between Hamilton, Norris and Verstappen, but the Mercedes driver, in his final home appearance for the Silver Arrows claimed a record-breaking ninth British Grand Prix victory, breaking the record he jointly held for most wins at a single race with himself (Hungary) and Michael Schumacher (France).

Verstappen finished second after catching Norris late on, with Piastri, Carlos Sainz, Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda scoring points.

Lights out

At lights out, Russell held station with Hamilton, Verstappen and Norris slotting in behind, with the pole-sitter looking comfortable out-front after breaking the DRS of Hamilton. 

Station-keeping continued until Lap 18 when light drizzle began to fall and Hamilton closed up to Russell, passing into Stowe on at the end of the Lap.

However, at the start of the very next lap at Turn 1, both went off at Turn 1 in the worsening conditions as Norris, who had cleared Verstappen, got past Russell. 

Piastri was also flying at this stage, passing Hamilton on the grass on the Hanger Straight as the order became Norris-Piastri-Hamilton-Russell-Verstappen. 

Verstappen and Sainz pitted for inters in the rain on Lap 26, with Norris, Hamilton and Russell responding a lap later, with Piastri forced to go one lap longer, and rejoined in sixth. 

After these stops, the order was Norris-Hamilton-Verstappen-Russell but the track was quickly drying, although Russell was forced to retire on Lap 34 with a water pressure system fault. 

Hamilton pitted for softs on Lap 39, with Verstappen going for hards with Norris also stopping for softs on Lap 40.

It set up a thrilling chase between the three, with Verstappen clearing Norris with four laps to go and 3.5s to catch down Hamilton.

Verstappen could not catch Hamilton, who took his 104th F1 win 945 days after the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, broke the record for most wins at a single grand prix, banked his 150th Mercedes podium and took the 30th win for a British driver.

Hamilton also became the first driver to win a grand prix after his 300th start in the 344th start of his career.

Piastri took fourth ahead of Sainz and the impressive Hulkenberg who scored back-to-back sixth place finishes for Haas. 

Aston Martin recorded a double points haul with Stroll ahead of Alonso with Albon and Tsunoda rounding out the points positions.

Other finishers

Logan Sargeant was 11th for Williams, ahead of Kevin Magnussen and Daniel Ricciardo in 12th and 13th. 

Valtteri Bottas was 14th ahead of Charles Leclerc whose afternoon was undone by a Lap 20 switch to inters, with Sergio Perez also being undone by this strategy. 

Esteban Ocon was 16th, with Zhou Guanyu last in 18th.

Russell was joined in retirement by Alpine's Pierre Gasly, who retired on the formation lap with a gearbox issue.