British Grand Prix preview | Will Mercedes upgrades end Red Bull streak?

Silverstone, an iconic circuit

The British Grand Prix has been held yearly at Silverstone since 1987. Yet the layout of the track has changed over the years. The current circuit has 18 corners, with the most impressive combination being Maggots and Becketts. The circuit is seen by many as the most impressive of the season.

The circuit used to be one where downforce was important, but with today's cars it has become more and more a circuit of power. For much of the lap, drivers are now at full throttle, so even the unique Maggots and Becketts corner combination comes down to engine power.

British highlights

There have been many highlights of the British Grand Prix over the years. For example, the 2003 and 2008 races were won by Rubens Barrichello and Lewis Hamilton respectively. The latter, however, would go on to win many more at home.

The 2010 Grand Prix has also been a memorable one as Mark Webber made it clear with few words that he was not happy with his role as second driver. Max Verstappen also managed to impress at the Silverstone circuit, when he passed Nico Rosberg in the rain in the Maggots and Becketts corner combination in 2016.

Weather forecast

Whereas Silverstone has also seen some slipping and sliding in the past, that is not on the agenda for this weekend. It will remain dry, as the chance of precipitation is almost zero. Temperatures will be around 26 degrees Celsius, which is optimal. This might even be to Red Bull Racing's advantage as it seems that Mercedes' W12 still struggles to cool the car in hot conditions.

Formula 1 in 2021

Max Verstappen leads the world championship by a whopping 32 points over rival Lewis Hamilton: 182 to 150. Sergio Perez is third with 104 points, with Lando Norris three points behind. Red Bull also leads the constructors' field. The lead over Mercedes is 44 points, so the Milton Keynes-based formation and its drivers seem to have the advantage this weekend.

Prediction for the British GP

Based on the last Grands Prix, you can only predict that Max Verstappen is the favourite. In Austria, the RB16B was so dominant, but we must not forget that we are driving at Silverstone next weekend. This is exactly where Mercedes has been able to achieve excellent results in recent years. Furthermore, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will appear with some upgrades.

It is to be hoped that Sergio Perez will perform better than in Spielberg. The Mexican needs to step up his game if he wants to play a significant role. He will have to watch out for McLaren and AlphaTauri who showed a strong form in Austria.

Timetable British Grand Prix 2021

Friday

First free practice: 14:30 - 15:30

Qualifying: 18:00-19:00

Saturday

Second free practice: 12:00 - 13:00

Sprint race: 16:30 - 17:00

Sunday

Race: 15:00 - 17:00