BBC Radio 5 live

A reminder that BBC Radio 5 live is covering this race in full - with commentary from Jack Nicholls, analysis from Jolyon Palmer, and pit lane reporting from Jennie Gow. You can also listen by refreshing your browser and clicking on the icon at the top of the page.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

The Red Bull drivers were a little down after qualifying, seeing the near-second gap between them and pole position.

Max Verstappen was talking about “missing 70-80bhp”, which is not a figure for the gap between Mercedes and Renault that Mercedes would recognise, and losing a second on the straights.

The Renault is clearly down on the Mercedes and Ferrari - all three of the teams using that engine are always towards the bottom of the speed traps. But Red Bull have always been slow on the straights, partly because of the high downforce of their car.

A major issue under the new regulations, aimed at making the cars faster, is that some corners that were nearly flat-out before are now actually flat, and so are effectively straights.

So whereas before this was a track where Red Bull benefited, because they could take those corners faster, they now lose out, because what had previously been a downforce benefit is now a drag cost.

“With the cars we have, a few corners became flat-out so it just gets more and more difficult,” Verstappen said.

“Turn One, for example, and Copse. The big problem as well is when you go through a corner which is almost flat, then when you accelerate out of the corner our engine is just not pulling, and their engine then recovers [the deficit]. Then you know you don’t have the horsepower.”

Actually, Verstappen was not taking Abbey with DRS open in qualifying, because he reduced the downforce level of the car. But the point was valid. They were not optimistic of a similar turnaround in pace to that in Austria last weekend, where Verstappen won.

BBC Radio 5 live

Time for some British comedy royalty. Jennifer Saunders, at Silverstone as a guest of Red Bull, has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 live pit lane reporter Jennie Gow.

Saunders - here with comedian/actor husband Ade Edmondson - says: "It's the first one I've been to but we are mad fans. We watch every Grand Prix.

"Nothing is as exciting as being here. It is extraordinary. Just the noise and the smell and the sight of cars close up. The first corner is always my favourite - who stays on and who goes off.

"We're with Red Bull and I have to say Max and Daniel have such character. They're always in the mix somewhere, so I'm hoping Max will pull something out of the bag.

"I think Lewis is probably favourite if the car is reliable. I think it's going to be an exciting race. I'm sorry if I'm making no sense, but I can hardly hear myself think."

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Silverstone

There are split loyalties in the Postlethwaite family today as Paul is cheering on polesitter Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, while Angela is backing Kimi Raikkonen and Ferrari, with the Finn starting in third place.

The Postlethwaites have come down from Kendal, Cumbria and have been camping at Silverstone since Wednesday in this their fifth time at Silverstone.

"It's just the whole atmosphere here, there's so much to do, it's just brilliant," says Angela. "Ferrari are my team and Kimi is my driver and he is going to win."

"That's OK as long as Lewis is second," adds Paul diplomatically.

Image source, .

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer at Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton starts from pole position after a lap that was not flawless but was certainly immense.

There were a couple of errors from the Mercedes driver out there - a bit wide at Turn Four, the Loop, at the second apex of Luffield, and the apex of Stowe - but his pace through the fast corners of Copse-Maggotts-Becketts was awesome.

That’s history now, though, and he has a record to achieve with what he hopes will be his sixth British Grand Prix victory. Ferrari are traditionally fast starters, and he has both of them right behind him.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said the team would be going “full attack”, and might even consider splitting strategies with Hamilton and team-mate Valtteri Bottas in their battle with the Ferraris.

BBC Radio 5 live

British number one tennis player Kyle Edmund is not letting the disappointment of his Wimbledon exit yesterday spoil his weekend too much.

The F1 megafan is at Silverstone today and he tells BBC Radio 5 live: "It will be great if Lewis can win. He has won five times and to see records broken and history be made is what you want to see."

Lewis Hamilton described the lap that won him pole as “the toughest lap I’ve ever had to do in a qualifying session”. It was a sign of just what a great driver he is under pressure, though, as he secured his 50th pole in a Mercedes car.

Valtteri Bottas admitted to mistakes in the last two corners of his final qualifying lap – which might have cost him a front row spot. Then again, Kimi Raikkonen felt he could have done better too. Sebastian Vettel was very happy to take second, given he was battling a neck complaint.

Stirring stuff there from the band playing on the track. The British Grand Prix is less than 15 minutes away. Excited? Yep.

Here we go... the national anthem...

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Silverstone

Image source, .

A prime spot at Becketts. Check.

Silly foam hands. Check.

John Franklin-Pryce (left), Duncan Lilwall (centre) and Craig Teasdale are in good spirits and prepared to have fun today.

Craig is in Williams colours, but this has not been a season to smile about for the English team.

"Hamilton is going to win today but I would prefer Verstappen to," says Craig. "I would like to think Williams will do well but are not having a good run. I am with Williams in spirit - they are my team but I would not bet my house on them.

"If Williams could get at the front the crowd would really get behind them again. They are a British team and everyone wants them to do well."

Chris Lord: Jackie Stewart for me, he had a different team mate every other race due to the danger. Treble champion, could have won more but walked away. Held the record for most victories at the time of retiring.

Paul: You can't dismiss that the likes of Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart drove in eras when many drivers were killed each season. Hamilton is clearly great and has the benefit of the best machinery and with more races to set his records. impossible to decide the best.

Miranda Lane: I do think Lewis is the greatest British Driver (in his era). King of Qualifying, Team Player, Makes many many Memories around the world, Amazing Number of Wins + 4 World Championships.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Concerns about engine power are a common theme across both Red Bull teams, with Pierre Gasly blaming his 14th place on the grid for Toro Rosso on the Honda engine - which of course the main team will be using from next season.

"The car was mega, but with the long straights at the moment it’s crazy how much time we lose," the Frenchman said.

"We knew that on a track like this, with Turn One and Nine being flat-out we’ll struggle. We’re talking about 0.9secs compared to Force India and Sauber, so yeah, very difficult to fight.

"In the corners, looking at the GPS, we are faster and it looks pretty good, but just on the straights at the moment we are really slow. Objectively we have no pace, not coming from the car, but from the engine."

GPS, quick corner speeds, slow on straights, good car, poor engine? Gasly might want to pop down to see Fernando Alonso to discuss that, because it sounds just like what McLaren have been saying for the last three years.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, BBC Sport

Red Bull’s focus is very much on race day, with their car unable to match Mercedes and Ferrari over one lap, as was proved in qualifying. Daniel Ricciardo had a job hanging on to sixth on the grid as he battled DRS problems. Romain Grosjean recovered well from an FP1 crash, with Kevin Magnussen just ahead of his as the best of the rest. Esteban Ocon made Q3 this time, having failed to do so in France or Austria.

Jenson Button has been conducting the drivers' parade interviews at Silverstone today and he grabbed a word with Daniel Ricciardo, who seemed more keen on catching up than talking about today's race.

"I'm pretty emotional," Ricciardo tells Button. "I've missed you. I haven't slept the same since but I am soldering on." Awwwwww.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Silverstone

Image source, .

It has been a tough time recently in Formula 1 for Fernando Alonso as he failed to finish in three of the past four races - Monaco, Canada and France - but Adrie Judd is hoping for a good day for the Spaniard.

"I'm supporting him for my late father Bill Judd, he got me into following Alonso, he always loved Alonso so I've taken it on from him and carried on the tradition," says Adrie.

"I think Alonso will do well and fingers crossed he will get into the top 10. After winning Le Mans 24 hours he has not had much luck and needs a bit today."

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

McLaren’s home grand prix is the start of a new era for the team, even if on the track it was very much same old, same old, with Fernando Alonso in his now-familiar 13th place on the grid and optimistic of making up ground and scoring points.

Stoffel Vandoorne was nearly a second off, saying there was something not right with the car. Off track, though, racing director Eric Boullier has gone in a reshuffle that has seen former Indycar champion Gil De Ferran brought in as sporting director. Many in F1 feel McLaren’s current uncompetitive plight is a result of hubris, a belief that “we know best; we’re McLaren”. The Brazilian does not have that problem.

Here is De Ferran explaining his new role: “The success I had behind the wheel and any success I had as a businessman came from really trying to understand where my weaknesses were.

"I was not afraid to look in the mirror and say could ave done better here and there and what do I need to do to improve. And the second thing is I realised very early on in my life that success never comes alone.

"You don’t have success by yourself. Very few people are able to achieve many things in life by themselves, most of them are part of a team, so knowing how to get a team together, working together, getting to people feel focused and motivated and really understand where they are going and fully engaged, because the best ideas come in the middle of the night.

"This is how I operate and this is really the philosophy I am bringing to my job.”

Image source, BBC Sport

Nico Hulkenberg has secured a top-10 placing in every race he has finished this season, although faces a job to keep that run going in a Renault car that struggles with Silverstone’s high-speed corners. Marcus Ericsson scored a rare point in Austria – only his 12th in 85 starts – but looked good in Q1 yesterday. Fernando Alonso finished eighth from the pit lane last weekend, so don’t write off the old master.

It's a big weekend of Grand Prix action, and as well as tweeting your thoughts, you can get involved on the radio after the race too. BBC Radio 5 live's Jolyon Palmer and Jennie Gow will be taking your calls on all matters F1 on our Slicks-0-Six phone-in at 18:00 BST.

Make a note of the number for later - that includes you, Kimi - it's 08085 909693, which is free from landlines and mobiles.

Image source, Getty Images