NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2025 British Grand Prix

F1’s busy European leg continues with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend – Round 12 of 24 in the 2025 season.

Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 around the historic venue will take place on Friday, July 4, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, July 5 and the Grand Prix itself on Sunday, July 6.

Vital statistics

• First Grand Prix – 1950
• Track Length – 5.891km
• Lap record – 1m 27.097s, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 2020
• Most pole positions – Lewis Hamilton (7)
• Most wins – Lewis Hamilton (9)
• Trivia – Silverstone hosted the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship round some 75 years ago on May 13, 1950
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 239 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2024 – 55
• Safety Car probability – 88%
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 13%
• Pit stop time loss – 19.9 seconds (includes 2.5s stop)

The driver’s verdict

Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: Silverstone is another drivers’ favourite with fast, flowing sequences and some of the best corners in the world. Copse, Maggots and Becketts are where you feel g-force on your body that is pretty rare in Formula 1.

Copse is a big challenge even though there’s run-off – you go so quick that if anything goes wrong there, you’ll be lucky if you get off lightly. And then the change of direction through Maggots and Becketts is a lot of fun.

Slowing it down through the final part of that is the key to make sure you get the exit onto the Hangar Straight as well – it’s about finding a rhythm through those sweeping parts. All of this puts a lot of strain on the front-left tyre and we’ve seen some issues here in the past.

Abbey is the one that is flat-out, but if you’re tucked in behind someone in race conditions it can be on the edge. Overtaking is also very possible with the new loop that’s not very new anymore – Turn 3 if you fancy a lunge, Turn 6 as well.

Maybe the hardest corner on the circuit is Brooklands, a big braking zone where it’s easy to just trail a bit of brake into the apex and snatch a wheel there. It’s so good as an overtaking area but also an easy area to make a little mistake.

Last five British GP polesitters

• 2024 – George Russell (Mercedes)
• 2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2022 – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
• 2021 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2020 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

Last five British GP winners

• 2024 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
• 2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• 2022 – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
• 2021 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
• 2020 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

Tyre and strategy insight

“There is an important change to the compound choices for this event,” reads Pirelli’s weekend preview. “In fact, Pirelli has gone with the C2 as hard, the C3 as medium and the C4 as soft, which is a step softer than last year.

“The aim, shared with the FIA, F1 and the teams, is to create a wider range of strategy options for the race. In 2024, when the C3 was the soft, it was used by just a few drivers in the closing stages of the race following the rain.

“This year, as the medium, it is bound to play an important role, probably in several phases of the race. For those aiming for a one-stop race, the stints will have to be managed very carefully, while accepting a longer total race time.

“Also a consideration in this equation is the fact that the time taken for a tyre change is not very long (around 20.5 seconds) and while challenging, overtaking is possible.”

In terms of track conditions, the tyre manufacturer adds: “The circuit is in almost year round use with four and two-wheeled racing categories and so it provides good grip right from Friday’s first free practice session, aided by the fact the surface is rated medium-low in terms of abrasiveness.

“Despite taking place at the height of summer, the English weather can often be unpredictable with very changeable temperatures and wind and rain suddenly putting in an appearance, turning the tables during the race, as was the case last year.”

Current form

McLaren were very much the team to beat last time out in Austria – and it was Lando Norris who led home team mate Oscar Piastri in a 1-2 result, with Piastri’s advantage over the Briton in the Drivers’ Championship now standing at 15 points.

Following their collision one race earlier in Canada, the pair managed to keep it clean as a thrilling race-long fight played out between them at the Red Bull Ring. Will they again manage to avoid getting too close during their home weekend at Silverstone?

It will also be a home event for Norris – after returning to the top step in Spielberg, can the Briton carry forward his momentum, or will Piastri add a sixth victory of the season to his name?

Max Verstappen, meanwhile, saw his own title charge take a dramatic hit in Austria after exiting the race on Lap 1 via a collision with the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, meaning that he has now lost significant ground to the McLaren pair.

Just nine points behind Verstappen in the standings is George Russell, another driver preparing for his home race. While Austria could not match the highs of the Briton’s victory in Canada, the Mercedes driver will be hoping for a strong outing in front of his local crowd.

Silverstone will also welcome back Lewis Hamilton following his emotional triumph at his home circuit in 2024, the seven-time World Champion clinching a record-breaking ninth win at the venue.

This year, the race will be Hamilton’s first at home since his switch to Ferrari. The Briton just missed out on a podium in Spielberg with a P4 result – could he achieve his debut rostrum in red at one of his favourite tracks?

Elsewhere, Williams are in need of a good weekend following a double DNF at the Red Bull Ring. The Grove-based outfit continue to hold fifth place in the Teams’ Standings but, given the close and changeable nature of the midfield fight, will be hoping to top up their points tally in order to keep their rivals at bay.

Iconic moment

Ahead of this year’s British Grand Prix, we’re taking you back some 17 years to the 2008 event and Lewis Hamilton’s sublime first home win.

Hamilton ended a tricky Qualifying session down in fourth, behind Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, Red Bull’s Mark Webber and pole-sitting McLaren team mate Heikki Kovalainen, leaving him with work to do on race day.

However, a blistering getaway from a damp grid saw him jump to second by Turn 1 and, after an initial scrap with Kovalainen through the first few corners, the lead was his in a matter of laps.

From there, it was quite simply the Hamilton show, with the youngster storming into the distance and expertly managing further downpours to finish more than a minute clear of his nearest rival, and having lapped everyone up to P4.

Relive the memorable performance in the video player below...