Jack Nicholls
BBC Radio 5 Live F1 commentator

It is a lovely way to end the season. After a year of Mercedes utter domination, Verstappen has managed to sneak in there. Maybe he will win the grand prix.

Tanya Smith: Old tracks that gave us great races has to be the best thing about this very odd season.

John K Wilkinson: Prediction - Max and Valtteri to come to blows before the first corner.

Jeremiah Kariuki: Hoping to see Russell get at least one point in his Williams to solidify his 3 points last weekend.

Gavin Finlayson: Thank you BBC F1 team for this season. You've done a fantastic job all year. Hilarious banter, fascinating insights and all round top job all season long, in what has been an intense season.

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

We're live on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra so listen to the brilliant team of Jack Nicholls, Jolyon Palmer, Jennie Gow and Andrew Benson by pressing the play button at the top of this page.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

It sounds odd to say it, but one of the highlights of the weekend has been the demonstration laps run by Fernando Alonso in his 2005 championship winning Renault. Quite apart from the evocative V10 cacophony, the car looks so much more visceral and dramatic than the 2020 cars, even though it was lapping about four seconds slower. Alonso was really giving it some - and loving it.

“Honestly, I cannot go slow with this car,” he said. “Every time I an in the cockpit all the memories and how it comes natural to drive fast and feel the speed is amazing, I know it’s an old car but it is a perfect machine for me. I have the mask on, but I will be smiling probably until 2021.”

His laps caused a huge stir up and down the pit lane. Many people from many teams came out to watch, leaning over the pit wall, taking photographs and just soaking it all up. “I think not only the fans, everyone in the paddock, we miss the sound,” Alonso said. “We miss the Formula 1 that we got in love with when we were kids and we were watching television. So now, to witness this car at this circuit, I think it was pretty special for everyone in the paddock.”

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff admitted that the run had given F1 as a sport something to think about. “I only saw it on a screen from afar and the car looks very agile,” he said. “It is much smaller, it is 150kg lighter and seems to be moving faster. I don’t know whether that is the size or the agility of the car but it is something we need to explore.”

Lewis Hamilton, speaking to Sky Sports: "I slept really well last night. I am definitely feeling better today than the last few days.

"Formula 1 has done an amazing job to get us racing this year. It has been an incredible season for us. I feel pretty chill right now."

Pirelli expect those on the medium tyres to be aiming to go 18 laps before changing and then jumping on to the hards for the final 37 laps.

If you're starting on the softs, then lap 14 is your pit target.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

A short and simple strategy briefing for this final race. Whatever the start tyre, it should be a slam-dunk one-stop, unless the safety car comes out at a time that makes it advantageous to pit for fresh tyres for the latter stages of the race. The Mercedes drivers, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc are the runners in the top 10 on the grid who managed to get through second qualifying on the more robust medium tyre and therefore have it for the start. Calculations suggest this is an advantage for the first stint, but not a big one.

All the teams are concerned about reliability at this final race of the season, with engines and chassis parts all coming to the end of their lives and therefore more vulnerable than usual to failure. Keep an eye, too, on Sergio Perez coming through the field in the Racing Point from the back.

For the last time this season, it is time for Formula 1's message of unity in the fight against racism.

As has been a regular fixture at races this season, 13 drivers 'take a knee' with seven opting to remain standing.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner, speaking to Sky Sports: "It is going to be incredibly tough. This track has been one Mercedes have been dominant at. The start will be crucial."

On Alexander Albon's future: "We are looking at the season as a whole. He has had good a weekend so far. After the weekend we will look at all the data and information. The job today is to put pressure on Mercedes."

Stephen Taylor: My favourite two races this year were the Italian Grand Prix and Sakhir Grand Prix (sorry George) just for the drama and wonderful stories they gave us. Perez and Gasly winning races were wonderful stories for F1.

Tim: Easily my favourite race of 2020 was the Sakhir GP. Whilst it ultimately led to heartbreak for George Russel the victory for Sergio Perez made up for some of it. Don’t think I’ve been that engaged in a race in years! No offence to Hamilton though, he’s just too good!

Danny Jones: Imagine telling someone at the start of the season we would have 13 drivers on the podium, two new race winners, the return of Imola, Nurburgring and Istanbul Park, Russell in a Merc and three appearances for Hulkenberg! Surely one of the best seasons in recent memory.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Silverstone owners the British Racing Drivers' Club have named the track's pit straight after Lewis Hamilton in honour of his achievements this year.

The 35-year-old became the most successful Formula 1 driver in history after clinching his seventh world title and breaking the record for most wins.

BRDC president David Coulthard said he was "delighted to share the news with Lewis" at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It is the first time part of the track has been named after any individual.

"Lewis has become a huge part of [the circuit's] history and the directors of the club and I felt there was no better way to mark this than to rename the iconic pits straight in recognition of his record-breaking achievements," Coulthard said.

The Mercedes driver has won a record seven British Grands Prix and has celebrated six of them on the podium that overlooks the new Hamilton Straight.

The straight is where the traditional track invasion takes place after the race and where fans celebrate in front of the podium.

And there was another honour for Lewis announced recently...

What a season it has been for Lewis Hamilton. He's taken the record for most wins, equalled Michael Schumacher's seven world titles and has a 127-point lead in the championship, despite missing last week's race.

He would've also had another two wins had it not been for two infringements of entering the pit lane when it was closed and performing a practice start in the wrong position. Oh, he's also got 10 poles this season.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen has had a dispiriting season spent chasing the Mercedes, largely in vain. And he was as surprised as anyone to put his Red Bull on pole for the final race of the year. “The whole year when you are behind but getting closer it’s getting sometimes a bit frustrating,” Verstappen said, “but very, very pleased.”

Can he hold on to first in the race and beat the Mercedes in a straight fight?

“We’ll just have to wait and see how that goes,” he said. “We’ll try to do our best; try to keep them behind. They are still very fast, but it seems we have quite decent top speed this weekend so hopefully it will work out.”

Lewis Hamilton, in a most unfamiliar third place and still not feeling 100% after his brush with Covid-19, said: “It’s always nice to start first but you can’t always and this makes it even more exciting. It’s a very difficult track to overtake naturally but with strategy and everything maybe we can… The start is going to be important, first few laps, those stints, yeah I’m definitely excited to try to figure out how I can turn it around."

Matthew Murnaghan: All of the races were good but if I had to choose... Italy 2020. The race where Mercedes messed up and delivered an unexpected winner. Sakhir is a close second.