Get involved #bbcf1published at 09:02 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Amit Mandalia: Thoughts on the Shield? To me it looks like a more aerodynamic version of the AeroScreen & not as dramatic as renders showed.
Summary
Bottas fastest, Hamilton 2nd as Mercedes show dominant form
Several cars spin, including Ferraris
Hamilton bidding for fifth British Grand Prix win
Get involved #bbcf1published at 09:02 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Go! Go! Go!published at 09:01 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
And first practice is a go with Sebastian Vettel first out on the track, showing off said shield.
Looks good, but safety is the aim of the game here.
Vettel gives the shield a gopublished at 09:00 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Silverstone
Image source, .Sebastian Vettel will in first practice become the first driver to try out the new ‘shield’ cockpit head protection system.
This is the device to which F1 bosses have given preference over the controversial ‘halo’ tried last year, the aesthetics of which provided a mixed response. The transparent shield is designed to deflect large flying objects away from the driver.
A full test is planned for the Italian Grand Prix in September but this amounts to an initial assessment of issues such as visibility. Vettel said: “I will run it. We’ll see for how long. I haven’t seen it in real life yet. it depends how it feels tomorrow.”
Postpublished at 08:59 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Moody clouds above Silverstone. Chance of rain? Maybe for the weekend, not really for today...
Get involvedpublished at 08:56 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Your ideal British Grand Prix circuit?
Image source, Getty ImagesIt seems pretty unlikely that Silverstone will no longer hold an F1 race beyond 2019 but if it did go, would you miss it? Where would you like to see a British Grand Prix held? In London? Around the streets of Milton Keynes? The spaghetti junction?
Let us know, maybe even draw or send in a picture of your ideal British Grand Prix circuit location, via #bbcf1, external or text in on 81111 (UK only).
Postpublished at 08:50 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Silverstone's Sporting Director has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 live about the future of the British Grand Prix at the circuit. Listen to his comments below.
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Best of British...published at 08:47 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Image source, Getty ImagesNothing screams British more than Jenson Button, on a bike, navigating his way round a postbox, a Queen's Guard and Big Ben...
First practice gets under way at 09:00 BST and you can listen to commentary online only from 08:55.
A season-defining weekend?published at 08:42 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Was it ever supposed to be this tough?
When Nico Rosberg retired, it appeared that Lewis Hamilton's biggest obstacle to a fourth world title had gone.
Instead, a mixture of misfortune and a Ferrari revival has seen the Briton slip 20 points behind Sebastian Vettel as we approach the halfway point of the season.
Still, there's nothing like a driver's home race to give them a timely boost.
How Hamilton will hope for a scene like this again on Sunday afternoon...
Image source, Getty ImagesGrey skies, tents, burgers and baconpublished at 08:40 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer at Silverstone
Image source, Getty ImagesA painfully early start. Grey skies. Fields full of tents. A helter skelter and big wheel. The smell of burgers and bacon in the morning. A big expanse of asphalt. A London bus from the car park to the paddock. It must be the British Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton weathered a storm of questions on Thursday about his decision not to attend the F1 Live event in London on Wednesday and now he and the rest of the grid are looking forward to one of their greatest challenges of the year.
“I think Copse is going to be flat this year,” he said. “I would imagine quite easy, yeah probably eighth; you should get to eighth by then. It’s going to be rapid. I don’t think any of us are prepared for how quick Silverstone is going to be compared to previous years.
It was awesome in the last race. Maggots and Becketts, again, are going to be the same. It’s going to be a physical race for us, being that it is mostly medium and high-speed corners. The G that we are going to be pulling is definitely going to be one up, maybe two, who knows, but it’s going to be a lot of fun."
Postpublished at 08:38 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
Hello! Welcome along to our coverage of the British Grand Prix.
Yes, the big-ish news this week was the announcement from Silverstone's owners that they had activated a clause in their contract to cease hosting the British Grand Prix after 2019. The reason? It's costing too much to run.
A bit of posturing? Probably. It is unlikely to be the end of grand prix racing at Silverstone, but it is nevertheless a risk.
Still, the show must go on. There is a race this weekend, and a potentially decisive one in the title battle...
A Great British circuitpublished at 08:30 British Summer Time 14 July 2017
History...
Image source, Getty Images... iconic corners...
Image source, Getty Images... great fans...
Image source, Getty Images... Silverstone and Formula 1 go hand-in-hand.
But is the grand old circuit soon to be no longer the home of the British Grand Prix?