THE GOOD

LEWIS HAMILTON

Equalled the record for pole positions at the British Grand Prix for starters. Dominant over the weekend, and adored by the British fans for doing so.

Saw very little of him during the race, and that was because he was totally in command throughout the race. Something he does regularly at Silverstone where he has now won a record equalling five times with Jim Clark and Alain Prost.

Led every lap, took fastest lap, and won by plenty. He could hardly have been more dominant or impressive.

Whilst some questioned his no show at the F1 Live event in London earlier in the week, being the only current driver not in attendance, he could be forgiven after putting on a show for the fans after the race.

VALTTERI BOTTAS

Another good comeback drive from Bottas after a grid penalty combined with a slightly underwhelming fourth in qualifying saw him start from the midfield.

A great strategy and a great drive saw him rise to third, and was gifted second place following Raikkonen’s late tyre failure.

Starting to really prove himself a very valuable asset to the Mercedes team. Worthy of another year contract perhaps.

 

KIMI RAIKKONEN

A welcome return to the front of the grid for the popular Finn. He was helped by Max Verstappen getting past his teammate early, which slowed the German a little, but he was a comfortable second for the most of the Grand Prix. A good psychological win beating his team mate, and hopefully a launching pad for more in the second half of the 2017 season.

A late puncture cost him a deserved second place, but still held on for a podium when Vettel suffered the same fate.

MAX VERSTAPPEN

Finishing the race alone will have made his day after so many car issues over the past few months.

His defensive driving tactics as seen against Sebastian Vettel are as tough as they come, some say even too tough, but you can’t deny its effectiveness and the excitement he brings in the heat of the battle.

Missed out on a podium, but a good haul of points, and beating his team mate Ricciardo is a good return to form, and luck.

DANIEL RICCIARDO

If it wasn’t for his superb comeback drive, he was surely in the Bad category.

The wet weather in qualifying gave the Australian a chance to shine in qualifying where the deficiencies in the Renault power unit are not so pronounced. So the car failure in Q1 was poorly timed and unfortunate. But given the amount of mechanical issues with his team mate’s Red Bull of late, in which he has taken full advantage with a win and many podiums, it was his turn for bad luck.

Stormed to 12th from the back of the grid after the first Safety Car disappeared, but wasted that progress by running wide onto the grass not long after to go to the back of the field again. It didn’t take long to get back through the field again, he was up to 11th by Lap 15. Pitstops and strategy saw Riciciardo in 6th and behind his teammate by the halfway point of the race, a good effort considering their relative starting positions.

After his pitstop he fell behind a bunch of midfield cars, and he disposed of them in impressively quick style, with his customary high quality overtaking. 5th place at the end of the race will do nicely all things considered.

NICO HULKENBERG

A tremendous effort in qualifying to end best of the rest in 6th, a car that has been hopelessly slow at times in 2017.

Great overtaking move on Force India driver Esteban Ocon early left him 5th. He couldn’t hold off the recovering Bottas and Ricciardo but his eventual 6th place finish was a superb result, that earns the title of Best of the Rest for the 2017 British Grand Prix. He was the only car outside of the top 3 big teams to stay on the lead lap.

For some reason he is consistently passed over by the big teams, almost as consistently as he outperforms his car and team mates.

FERNANDO ALONSO

Despite the 30 place grid penalty and whatever happened in the race, that Q1 lap in qualifying where he topped the timesheets after the first cut off was a thrilling moment and the smallest of glimpses of why the two time World Champion is terribly wasted at McLaren Honda.

Got his standard car failure during the race, and failed to see another chequered flag. The 7th time in 9 races in 2017.

STOFFEL VANDOORNE

Did well to make Q3 in qualifying, and finally got to show some of the ability that took him to a GP2 Championship. Ran a strong 9th early in the race. Finished 11th, and a shame he wasn’t rewarded with a championship point.

MERCEDES

Could hardly have gone better. 1-2 despite Bottas’ grid penalty. Late Ferrari punctures helped them big time too.

 

THE BAD

SEBASTIAN VETTEL

Not a great race for the Championship leader. His main rival Lewis Hamilton won with ease. His team mate was the better Ferrari driver during the race. And there were hints again of his mental fragility under pressure during the race, exposed so badly and publicly after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Lucked in with his team mate getting a very late puncture, and then got one himself and finished 7th. Keeps the Championship lead, just.

JOLYON PALMER

Not much has gone right for the Englishman in 2017, and breaking down on the parade lap is an unfair addition to his season of woe. His season has been a mix of under performance and bad luck, and with Robert Kubica coming through a second test in style, he is running out of time to convince his bosses to keep the faith.

TORO ROSSO DRIVERS

There is never a good time for team mates to crash into each other, but the accident between the young Red Bull junior chargers at 200kph in the packed midfield was lucky not to end in even bigger carnage. It was their second coming together in three races.

Not much has gone right for both of the Toro Rosso drivers of late, and this crash won’t endear themselves to their Red Bull bosses or other prospective employers. They blamed each other for the crash, the stewards of the race handed down a penalty to the Russian. That mattered little to Carlos Sainz who was eliminated.

DANI KVYAT

Earns a solo Bad for his part of the crash.

 

THE UGLY

 

WILLIAMS

High hopes for Williams this weekend at their home Grand Prix, and one where they were celebrating their history. A 10th place and one point for Felipe Massa was the only reward.

FERRARI

Not a great weekend, and they rarely are when Kimi is the leading driver.

SILVERSTONE PULLING THE PIN ON HOSTING GRANDS PRIX AFTER 2019

A shame that one of the traditional and best tracks feel they can’t continue hosting the British Grad Prix after 2019. It is a proper racing track, and will no doubt be replaced by a London Street Race.

With the British GP, joining Malaysia and Singapore out of the F1 future, you’d have to start wondering where the new US F1 owners will go for their additional races to get the calendar to 25 races.

OWEN WILSON DOING PODIUM INTERVIEWS

One wonders why they bother. He doesn’t care and neither do we. Get off and stay off.

 

GET WELL MARTIN BRUNDLE

There haven’t been many races since 1997 in which the Englishman’s voice hasn’t been a part of the broadcast, so to not have him in the commentary box during the race, or attempting to get anything out of drivers and celebrities on the gridwalk was different. To know that it was because of sudden ill health, was a worry. He has become a voice of Formula One as much as his first co commentator Murray Walker who was one of the best commentators of all time.