Formula 1 British Grand Prix 2015: All you need to know

Use Google Street View to take a virtual lap of the Silverstone circuit. Go easy through turn 1 though, your brakes are still cold.

Race details

Race name 2015 Formula 1 British Grand Prix Round 9

Circuit Silverstone First race 1950 Grands Prix held 69

Laps 52 Race distance 306.2km Circuit length 5.891km Lap record 1:33.401 by Mark Webber (Red Bull Renault) 2013

Chance of safety car Medium

Most wins by driver Alain Prost and Jim Clark x5 Most wins by team Ferrari x15

2014 result

1. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes 2:26:52.094

2. Valetteri Bottas (FIN), Williams +30.135s

3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Red Bull +46.495

2015 schedule

July 3 – Friday practice 1 1pm to 2.30pm Friday practice 2 5pm to 6.30pm

July 4 – Saturday practice 3 1pm to 2pm Saturday qualifying 4pm to 5pm

July 5 – Sunday race 4pm to 6pm

All times UAE

TV schedule All sessions to be broadcast on BeIN Sports HD6

Best places to watch

During Ramadan there won’t be many places open during the fasting hours. You are best off watching at home or online.

Did you know...

The atmosphere

The atmosphere at Silverstone is one of the best on the Grand Prix calendar. The British are very passionate about their motorsport, and the circuit is also the “home race” for most of the teams: McLaren, Williams, Force India, Red Bull, Mercedes, Manor Marussia, and Lotus. With the exception of McLaren – who are based in Woking – the other teams are all in “motorsport valley”, as is Silverstone.

Expect a knowledgeable and vocal crowd this weekend. Most will be hoping for a Lewis Hamilton win.

Weather forecast

Britain doesn’t have a climate, it just has weather. The skies over Blighty are a veritable smorgasbord, and just because it’s July is no guarantee of summer sun.

This weekend is expected to be warm and sunny, with a balmy temperature of 22C forecast. So expect thunderous rain and untold misery.

A bit of history

Silverstone not only hosted the first ever British Grand Prix, but the first ever World Championship Grand Prix, back in 1950.

After the end World War II, Britain was littered with abandoned airfields, which soon became the ideal places for rich boys to race their expensive toys. The original circuit raced around the perimeter of the airfield, and even today the circuit follows the original route – not withstanding all the modifications over the last couple of decades.

The Northamptonshire track has traditionally been one of the fastest in Formula 1, even since a major re-development a few years ago which took the track into the infield. It remains popular with the drivers.

Silverstone has held the British Grand Prix 48 times and consistently since 1987. However between 1955 and 1962 it alternated with Aintree, and then between 1694 and 1986 it shared the honour with Brands Hatch.

As you would expect there have also been a plethora of exciting races at Silverstone over the years, and some of the sport’s truly great moments. Who can forget Nigel Mansell’s famous win 1992, which sparked a track invasion, and Damon Hill’s emotional win in a tumultuous 1994 season? Conversely, in 1998 Michael Schumacher became the only driver to win a Grand Prix while stationary in the pit lane. He came in for a 10 second penalty on the last lap, but was still awarded the win as he had theoretically crossed the line.

It was also the circuit where Schumacher broke his leg after crashing in the 1999 race.

Best overtaking spots

The fast nature of Silverstone doesn’t restrict the amount of overtaking opportunities, and expect to see lots of slip-streaming with DRS down the Hangar Straight into Stowe Corner. Copse is also a prime overtaking spot.

However we expect most of the overtaking to happen at the end of the Wellington straight, which is also a DRS zone.

Writer’s winner

There’s no denying that the “Writer’s Winner” section of these guides is always wrong, despite the choice only being between the Mercedes pair. So we’re just going to pull a name out of a hat:

Fernando Alonso.

Hmm… stranger things have happened.

Six of the best British wins

Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss: all legends that won the British Grand Prix - along with the lesser-known Peter Colins - but sadly they did so in a time when YouTube footage was somewhat harder to come by. That aside though, the races we have listed still show Britain and its motorsport best - both on the track and in the grandstands.

Nigel Mansell, 1987

Mansell was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop, handing the lead to his teammate and bitter foe, Nelson Piquet. But there have been few drivers quite so rough and ready as “Our Nige”. He broke the lap record 11 times in his pursuit of Piquet and sold him a dummy on Hangar Straight to take the lead in emphatic style.

Nigel Mansell, 1992

Nigel Mansell was adored by the British public, and although he’d won the British Grand Prix three times previously, his 1992 triumph pushed him closer to his first world title. The crowd invaded the track in some emotional scenes.

Damon Hill, 1994

1994 was a tragic year for Formula 1, and especially tragic for the Williams team and Damon Hill. In the wake of Ayrton Senna’s death – Hill’s teammate who was killed at Imola only two months earlier – Hill went on to win the British Grand Prix, in a race he billed “the best day of his life”. Again, the British public went wild, and cheered their Damon on.

James Hunt, 1977

James “Hunt the Shunt” Hunt, the reigning World Champion romped to fantastic win in 1977. While he won by some 18 seconds, it was a commanding win over his old rival Niki Lauda.

David Coulthard, 2000

David Coulthard had narrowly beaten fellow Brit, Eddie Irvine, to win the 1999 race, but in 2000 things were much harder. It was a game of chess with his McLaren-Mercedes teammate Mika Hakkinen. Coulthard pulled off some great moves to take a popular win, including a heroic move around the outside of Rubens Barrichello at Stowe Corner.

Lewis Hamilton, 2008

Lewis Hamilton etched his name into the public’s hearts with a sensational win at Silverstone in 2008. On a wet – nay, flooded – track and in only his second season, Hamilton drove like a true champion, demonstrating expert car control in appalling conditions. Popular? Oh yes.

Record holders