A Silver lining as Hamilton’s back on form
LEWIS Hamilton took second place in practice for the British Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion, who has been at the centre of Formula One’s racism row that has dominated the build-up to this weekend’s event, finished just 0.163 seconds behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, with Lando Norris third for McLaren.
Hamilton’s encouraging lap in front of his home crowd comes just days after it emerged triple world champion Nelson Piquet had aimed a racist slur at the British driver in a podcast recorded last November.
Piquet apologised to Hamilton insisting the offensive term was mistranslated.
However, fresh footage emerged yesterday, from a separate interview, in which the Brazilian used homophobic language when speaking about Hamilton.
The 69-year-old has been banned from the paddock.
On track, Hamilton’s Mercedes team has arrived at Silverstone armed with its third major upgrade of the year.
A new suspension, rear wing, floor and sidepods have been strapped on to the Silver Arrows in a bid to rescue their season, and the early signs are encouraging.
Although Hamilton reported his revised machine was “bouncing a lot at high speed”, the silkysmooth Silverstone asphalt suits Mercedes.
Hamilton might be 98 points behind championship leader Max Verstappen heading into the 10th round of 22.
However, his form here – and although times in practice have to be treated with caution – will afford him some hope he could challenge the front-runners at a track where he has won a record eight times.
Ahead of first practice, which was effectively a washout following persistent drizzle, Hamilton bowed down to the sport’s regulator by removing his nose stud.
The 36-year-old had insisted he would oppose the FIA and race all season with the item of jewellery, which he said could not easily be taken out, intact.
However, after his second medical exemption expired on Thursday, and with the threat of a stewards’ investigation - which might have ended in a reprimand, fine, docked championship points or even expulsion from tomorrow’s race, Hamilton complied.
His extraordinary 180mph opening-lap collision with nemesis Max Verstappen at this venue last year is still raw for some and the Dutch driver was booed by a number of fans.
Verstappen, who holds a commanding 46-point lead at the summit of the standings having won five of the last six rounds, finished fourth in practice on Friday, two tenths back.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fifth, with Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell eighth, 0.857 sec down.
■ POLICE have warned that lives could be put in jeopardy after receiving “credible intelligence” that protests are set to target Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
A record crowd of 142,000 is expected at Silverstone for one of the highlights of the British sporting summer but local authorities fear the event could be disrupted.
Northampton Police said in a statement: “We have received credible intelligence that a group of protestors is planning to disrupt the British Grand Prix and possibly invade the track on race day.
“We want to appeal directly to this group of people.
We strongly urge you to not put yourselves, the drivers, as well as the many marshals, volunteers and members of the public, at risk.”