Andrew Davies: Here in Egypt 110f in the shade - bbq set with some expat`s - kofta`s burgers and chicken ready for the green lights. Come on Lando ...

And it is a clear Mercedes dominance in the constructors' title with a mammoth 66-point lead after only THREE races.

We've had three races of the season and Mercedes have won all of them - one for Bottas and the last two for Hamilton.

Here is how the drivers' championship looks at the moment.

This is the first of two races at Silverstone in two weeks. This race is the British Grand Prix, with next week's event being known as the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

The first Formula 1 world championship grand prix took place at Silverstone in May 1950 and here, in some incredible footage, you can watch what racing was like 70 years ago.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer at Silverstone

Image source, Getty Images

Racing Point’s rivals came to Silverstone expecting the worst. This is a track that could have been made for the Mercedes, whether it be the factory 2020 car, or the 2019 carbon-copy Racing Point admit they are running.

Yet after Lance Stroll was fastest on Friday, he has ended up only sixth on the grid. Team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, subbing for the coronavirus-positive Sergio Perez, was 13th, but just was 0.05secs off Stroll in Q2, the difference between making it into the top 10 and not.

Technical director Andrew Green has admitted that the team are under-performing and failing to maximise the car, a legacy of not yet fully understanding such a new design concept. “We would admit that things haven’t gone our way and we have made mistakes in the first few races,” he said.

“We are under-performing here again for something that is out of out control, in respect to losing a driver. It is lots of little things haven’t quite gone our way. We have seen glimpses of what the car is capable of doing but we understand it is very difficult to keep it there at its peak and we have to work very hard to do that.

"We are learning a lot, a new car concept works in a very different way and we only had a few days in Barcelona pre-season to try to understand it. So we are still learning.”

But Sergio Perez's absence gave Nico Hulkenberg, dropped by Renault at the end of last season, a surprise chance to jump into Perez's Racing Point for two races.

Hulkenberg got himself into the top 10 in both practice sessions on Friday but could only manage 13th in qualifying, while team-mate Lance Stroll starts sixth - four places in front of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and six ahead of Red Bull's Alexander Albon.

And on Friday, Sergio Perez released this video, explaining what happened.

He says: "As you know I tested positive, I'm extremely sad, one of the saddest days of my career. It shows how vulnerable we are to the virus.

"After Hungary I took a private plane towards Mexico to see my mum for two days because she had a big accident and as soon as she left hospital I was able to see her. I then came back to Europe the same way, with all the protocols in place and I got it, I don't know from where.

"I have no symptoms at all. I want to thank all the fellow drivers for the support they have given me. Certainly a tough moment but I will come back stronger from this."

Watch the full video here...

Image source, Getty Images

The biggest story before racing started this week was this one...

Racing Point's Sergio Perez has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss today's British Grand Prix.

The Mexican is the first Formula 1 driver to test positive since the 2020 season made a belated start in Austria this month. Perez has gone into self-quarantine, along with all his close contacts, as per F1's track-and-trace system.

A statement from governing body the FIA said "procedures… have provided for swift containment". The statement adds that Perez's positive test "will have no wider impact on this weekend's event"

And throughout this weekend the Williams cars have carried out their own tribute to the NHS.

The Red Arrows flying over Silverstone has been one of the much-loved routines at the British Grand Prix in recent years and, as Andrew just mentioned, there will be a Spitfire flying over the track highlighting the amazing work the NHS does.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer at Silverstone

Following criticism of the confused messaging around the drivers’ demonstrations against racism after the last two races, the FIA has, as first reported by BBC Sport, allocated a specific place in the schedule for it to happen on Sunday.

It is planned with military precision. At 1352 and 30 seconds, a buzzer will sound and the drivers will move to the front of the grid and stand in designated positions, wearing their slogan-bearing T-shirts. A video will be played of the drivers making anti-racism pledges.

The demonstration itself will last for about 30 seconds from 1353 and the drivers are free to show their support for the message in their own way. Those choosing to take the knee will be in a line at the front, and those preferring not to, for whatever reason, will stand behind them. Race director Michael Masi said he hoped this provided “some clarity and reassurance to the drivers”.

There will also then be a Spitfire flyover bearing the message: "Thank you, NHS", before a minute's clapping in support of the healthcare workers.

We see some weird (and some rubbish) trophies throughout the Formula 1 season, but these would look good in any drivers' trophy cabinet.

Sadly there are no fans at Silverstone today so we want you to tell us how and where you are following today's race from.

Any F1 parties (socially-distanced of course)? Any unusual places you are joining us from?

Tweet us using the hashtag #bbcf1 to get involved. As always for a Sunday, we're after your race predictions and hopes as well.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer at Silverstone

The sun is shining, the sky is blue and patchy white, and - as usual at Silverstone - the wind is blowing. It’s a picture-perfect British Grand Prix Sunday, but for one thing.

The place would normally be rammed with 140,000 fans, but today it’s as empty as a test day, and it feels - as many of the drivers have said - weird. Some things are the same as always, though.

Lewis Hamilton sits on pole position for his home grand prix, for the fourth time in five years. Who would bet against him taking a seventh home victory this afternoon, cheered on by multitudes or not?

You will have seen that Daniil Kvyat had qualified 14th and George Russell 15th but they have both been dumped to the back row after both getting five-place grid penalties.

Kvyat's we already knew about before qualifying starting after he needed a gearbox change, but Russell was penalised on Saturday evening as he was judged to have not slowed down quickly enough under yellow flag conditions when his team-mate Nicholas Latifi had gone off track.

Image source, F1

These were the times for qualifying. Lewis Hamilton had not ended any of the three practice sessions on top, nor either Q1 or Q2 but, as he so often does, finds the pace just when he needed to.

Image source, F1

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer at Silverstone

Image source, Reuters

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest ever lap around Silverstone to beat Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas to pole position at the British Grand Prix.

Hamilton, faster on both runs in the final session, was 0.313 seconds clear of Bottas while Red Bull's Max Verstappen pipped Charles Leclerc's improved Ferrari to third.

McLaren's Lando Norris starred with fifth place, ahead of the so-called 'pink Mercedes' Racing Point of Lance Stroll.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel could manage only 10th after struggling all weekend.

Hello!

I'm Michael Emons and welcome along to BBC Sport's coverage of the British Grand Prix.

The race begins at 14:10 BST and we will have all the build-up to the race with live radio commentary just before the start.

First up, let's look back at yesterday's qualifying.

A spin in the second phase of Saturday's qualifying left Lewis Hamilton facing the prospect of starting outside the top 10 in the British Grand Prix.

But never write off the world champion.

He nailed a lap to get into the shootout for pole and then destroyed the Silverstone track record to take the 91st pole of his career.

No driver has won their home race more than six times so it could be another record-breaking day for Lewis Hamilton and he will begin at the front. Will he end it there? Let's find out.