Lewis Hamilton leads British F1 AND F3 domination as Silverstone spectacle outshines England Euro 2024 heroics

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

GPFans Opinion

British F1 AND F3 domination at Silverstone outshines England Euro 2024 heroics

Lewis Hamilton steals limelight on iconic weekend of British sport

Kevin McKenna

Monday 8 July 2024 13:58

Late on Friday evening, one of the greatest athletes ever produced by the UK bid farewell to the arena which has been the scene of his greatest triumphs.

The tears were flowing as Andy Murray stood on Centre Court at Wimbledon for the final time. Memories were shared, jokes were told, and a plethora of thanks were handed out as the Dunblane-born legend reflected on a sensational career.

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In truth, it wasn't quite the uplifting start to the weekend we'd all hoped for.

Luckily for us, there was plenty to raise our spirits over the next 48 hours as British sporting stars shone on a historic weekend which delivered countless memorable moments.

Gareth Southgate's England heroes may have taken centre stage in Germany on Saturday night - more on that in a bit - but it was the events which took place at Silverstone that arguably deserve the lion's share of the spotlight, as home favourites broke records and delighted crowds over two thrilling days in Northamptonshire.

British fans were hopeful of seeing a home winner at Silverstone

Three Lions roar

England were in Dusseldorf looking to take another step towards glory as they faced Switzerland in the last eight of Euro 2024.

The Three Lions may have stumbled to that stage with a series of underwhelming displays, but surely this was their moment to show the world what they are capable of?

Not quite. They fell behind midway through the second half before Bukayo Saka calmed the nerves with a wonderful long-range strike to restore parity.

Extra time followed, then penalties. This is England. We all know what happens next, right?

Wrong. Southgate's men were perfect from the spot, and in doing so, sealed their place in the semi-finals, where the Netherlands lie in wait.

The nation breathed a collective sigh of relief. Little did they know, the drama was just getting started.

Young prospect makes history

Fast forward to Sunday morning at a wet and windy Silverstone, where young British driver Arvid Lindblad showed a maturity which belied his age to win the F3 feature race, on his first appearance at the iconic track.

The talented 16-year-old followed up his sprint race victory from the previous day, with a stunning triumph in the main event, making him the first ever double winner in an F3 weekend.

The PREMA Racing star battled testing conditions to take the chequered flag and seal his fourth win in the series, a statistic made all the more remarkable given he has achieved the feat faster than anyone else in history.

The scenes which greeted his astonishing accomplishment served as an appetiser for what was to come.

Lewis Hamilton clinched his ninth career win on his home circuit

Seven-time champion rolls back the years

Hopes were sky high that at least one of the British trio of George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris could triumph on their home track after their efforts in qualifying secured them the top three spots on the grid for Sunday's main event.

Over the next 52 laps, each took their turn at the top of the order, while reigning champion Max Verstappen waited patiently for a chance to pounce.

It was chaotic, it was frenetic, it was (insert any appropriate adjective of your choosing).

Russell, just seven days after clinching victory in Austria, was the first to fall, succumbing to system problems with a second consecutive win - until that point - very much in his sights.

The three remaining battled each other - and the elements - as they vied for the lead going into the closing stages.

George Russell was forced to retire after suffering system problems with his Mercedes

The poor, drenched souls who packed the grandstands cheered on their heroes, harbouring the realisation that their long wait for a home winner was tantalisingly close to being over.

A slow Norris pit stop relinquished the McLaren star's lead with 12 laps remaining, allowing Hamilton to take over the mantle.

The sight of Norris in Hamilton's mirrors was soon replaced by the imposing silhouette of Verstappen's Red Bull, who had made light work of his title rival as he surged into P2.

Hamilton though, knows what it takes to deliver round these parts. Having already won eight times on the famous track, he had an abundance of inspiring memories to tap into as the laps ticked by.

Five to go, four to go, three to go.

Just as Verstappen closed in, Hamilton closed out, crossing the line a little over a second ahead of his former title rival.

Hamilton celebrated his first F1 win since 2021 in some style

Tears flow on historic day

He channelled his inner Andy Murray in the moments which followed, breaking down in tears over team radio before embracing his father as he exited the car.

The outpouring of emotion was understandable. After all, it had been almost three agonising, frustrating years since he last stood on top of the podium.

And in his final race for Mercedes on his home track, he delivered a performance which encapsulated his time with the team. Displaying grit, skill, and raw speed in equal measure, he proved why he is considered one of the greatest drivers of all time.

Hamilton, of course, has no plans to retire any time soon, but what transpired this weekend showed that the future of British motorsport is in safe hands.

Harry Kane and company may yet write their names into the history books over the coming week as football gets set to dominate the headlines once again.

This weekend, however, belonged to racing.

Red Bull Lewis Hamilton Silverstone British GP