British Grand Prix Preview: Hamilton hoping to perform in front of home crowd once again

After travelling around the world to the likes of Canada and Azerbaijan, Formula One returns to Europe for the first of seven consecutive races in the continent as the British Grand Prix gets underway at Silverstone this weekend.

While Red Bull and Ferrari battle it out at the top the British drivers will be hoping to put on a show and get a spot on the podium this weekend.

The Leaders

Max Verstappen continues to sit at the top of the pile in the Drivers’ Championship after picking up another win in Canada.

Verstappen is 46 points clear at the top of the championship and will be hoping to add 25 points to his total by making it three race wins in a row and he is favourite to do so at Evens to win Sunday’s race.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has been the Dutchman’s main rival for the championship throughout the season but after a fifth place finish in Canada the Monacan driver has slipped to third in the championships. He did however reach fifth spot after starting the race in 19th and this impressive drive sees him head to Silverstone at 2/1 to find himself at the front of the pack by the end of Sunday’s race.

Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was forced to retire in Canada due to a gearbox issue but the Mexican will hope to bounce back and achieve a podium finish this weekend (10/11). Perez will be hoping to add to his one win this season and at 17/2 a win would see him earn 25 crucial points in his pursuit of the Drivers’ Championship.

Lewis Hamilton has won the last three British Grand Prix and will be hoping to provide something special to make it four in a row at his home circuit. Hamilton and the Mercedes team have had a lacklustre season so far but the seven-time World Champion’s third place finish in Canada has provided a boost for his Silverstone hopes. Hamilton is tipped as fourth favourite to win the British Grand Prix at 12/1 but will need everything to go his way this weekend for him to win his first race of the season.

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How will the Brits fare?

The rest of the field includes two more drivers returning to their home circuit, Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Russell has suffered the effects of a driving a car that simply can’t compete on the same level as the Red Bull and Ferrari’s but his consistent top-eight finishes see him fourth in the Drivers’ Championship. He sits just 18 points behind second placed Sergio Perez and at 14/1 a win this weekend could kickstart a late push for the title, while he is 2/1 to secure a fourth podium finish of the season.

22-year-old British McLaren driver Lando Norris has finished eighth, fifth and sixth in his drives at Silverstone and is a longshot at 150/1 to take the victory at his home circuit but with the crowd behind him last year’s sixth placed driver will be hoping to at least get on the podium at odds of 12/1.

With Mercedes starting to show some signs of improvement and Lando Norris being a consistent points finisher this season the three Brits are 8/11 to all finish in the points.

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