F1 British Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton breaks MORE records as Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc EMBARRASSED - Five things you may have missed from Silverstone

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Britain, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

British Grand Prix

Hamilton breaks MORE records as star duo EMBARRASSED - Five things you may have missed from the British GP

Lewis Hamilton won at Silverstone ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris

Kevin McKenna

Monday 8 July 2024 10:58 Updated: 11:28

Lewis Hamilton is celebrating being back on top of the podium for the first time since December 2021 after clinching a remarkable victory at the British Grand Prix.

The seven-time Formula 1 champion rolled back the years to take the chequered flag on what was his final race on his home circuit as a Mercedes driver.

F1 HEADLINES: Red Bull driver HURT after British GP as team in talks over driver RETURN

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Defending world champion Max Verstappen ran out of time to catch the Brit in the closing stages, but did extend his lead over Lando Norris, who finished one spot behind the Dutchman.

On what was a spectacular day of racing, GPFans kept an eye out for some stories which may have flown under the radar...

Records continue to tumble for Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton clinched his ninth victory at Silverstone on Sunday

Hamilton's relentless pursuit of excellence shows no sign of slowing down after his sensational drive in the Silverstone rain.

His first success in almost four years added another victory to his incredible pre-race tally of 103, but that wasn't the only record to be broken on an emotional afternoon for the 39-year-old.

His ninth win in the UK moved the Brit clear of Michael Schumacher as he now stands alone as the racer with the most victories at one circuit.

As if that wasn't impressive enough, his triumph in front of his adoring fans set a new record for the largest interval between a first and last win.

It's hard to believe it has been 17 years and 27 days since Hamilton first achieved F1 glory, with that win coming in Montreal back in 2007 while at McLaren.

With Mercedes finally hitting their stride in 2024, there may yet be more opportunities for further success before he makes the move to Ferrari.

Race-winning duo humiliated

Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc had a torrid time at the British GP

Speaking of Ferrari, I wonder what Charles Leclerc is thinking right now?

Hamilton's soon-to-be team-mate was on top of the world earlier this season after winning in Monaco, but his performances have nosedived since that memorable day in the principality.

The 26-year-old has scored just 12 points in the four races which have followed, and was out of contention within a few laps at Silverstone, as a gamble on tyre selection backfired, forcing him down the field long before his race truly got going.

He came home in a disappointing P14, and suffered the embarrassment of being lapped by the top half of the grid - as was also the case for Sergio Perez.

The under-fire Red Bull star started from the pits, but despite making a decent start, any hopes of a points finish were quickly extinguished as he too was forced to watch his competitors on different strategies fly past in the opening stages.

His P17 finish was his worst result of what has already been a pretty woeful campaign.

Big names out-gunned by unlikely pair

Alex Albon produced a stunning drive to secure P9 for Williams

While some star names struggled, there was unbridled joy for two drivers not often in the headlines.

Williams ran a one-off livery for their home grand prix, paying tribute to the dedicated staff working behind the scenes for the struggling team.

There would have been plenty of smiles from within the paddock and beyond as Alex Albon drove superbly to seal P9, thus doubling his entire points tally for the whole season.

There was good news for Haas too, as Nico Hulkenberg consolidated his marvellous sixth-place qualifying result to finish in the same position on Sunday.

By collecting 20 points over the last two races, they have closed the gap significantly to Visa Cash App RB as they set their sights on breaking into the top half of the grid in the second half of the season.

Which tyre to choose?

The rain caused more than a few problems for drivers and their respective teams

It's not often you see all three tyres in play at one time, but that was most certainly the case this weekend as the changeable weather conditions caused havoc.

As the rain came and went, and came and went again, teams were forced to take a gamble in order to get a positive result.

One quick glance at the time sheets on the TV screen as the race entered its closing stages showed a variety of softs, mediums and hards were all being given a shot.

For some, the gamble paid off, while for others - specifically Oscar Piastri - it wasn't such good news.

Fans get sneak peak of F1 movie

Brad Pitt will star in the upcoming 'F1' movie to be released next year

Before the madness unfolded on track, fans were treated to a short trailer promoting the upcoming F1 film set to be released in June 2025.

The movie - starring Oscar winner Brad Pitt - was partly filmed at Silverstone both last year and this weekend, and tells the story of an F1 veteran returning to the grid after a long absence in pursuit of glory.

The clip depicted Pitt alongside a number of F1 drivers including Verstappen, as fans caught the first exciting glimpse of what promises to be a high-octane experience.

Home hero Hamilton is credited as a producer for the movie, which begs the question: is there anything he can't do?