British Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton set for key race at Silverstone
- Published
Lewis Hamilton must start from sixth on the grid as he looks to revitalise his title hopes in Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The Briton's mistake in qualifying leaves him well adrift of Mercedes team-mate and championship rival Nico Rosberg, who is on pole.
Silverstone organisers expect a crowd of 120,000, the third-highest in history behind 2011 and 2012.
World champion Sebastian Vettel starts second and Briton Jenson Button third.
The race, Silverstone's 50th grand prix, will be broadcast live on BBC Two and the BBC Sport website from 12:00 BST, with Radio 5 live sports extra commentary from 12:30 BST.
Hamilton dropped from first to sixth on the grid after aborting his final qualifying lap in rain on Saturday, only to watch his rivals improve as the track then dried.
Rosberg leads Hamilton by 29 points in the championship
Hamilton, 29, is hoping to win his home grand prix for the first time since 2008, the year he became world champion.
"I feel a huge amount of support here," he said in his BBC column. "The atmosphere makes the grand prix and it just spurs you on and inspires you to really do it for the fans."
Rosberg expects Hamilton to "fight quickly" through the field.
He added: "I need to try and extend my gap in the championship and that's what I'm here to do."
Sunday's attendance will fall short of the 127,000 fans at the track on raceday in 2012, and the 122,000 in attendance 12 months prior to that.
With 84,000 having attended practice on Friday and 94,000 at qualifying on Saturday, a three-day crowd of 298,000 is expected.
The weather forecast for Sunday's race is mixed, with some showers predicted alongside generally bright conditions.
But organisers are confident that will not deter supporters.
"British F1 fans are the best in the world," said Silverstone spokesman Dan Leach. "They're hugely knowledgeable, passionate and we're lucky to have their incredible support."
94,000 spectators packed into the stands to watch Saturday's qualifying session
Wet conditions contributed to a topsy-turvy qualifying session
Germany's Nico Rosberg will start on pole for the fourth time this season
McLaren's Jenson Button secured third place with his best qualifying performance at Silverstone since 2005
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