Hamilton spins, but it’s rivals left feeling dizzy

LEWIS HAMILTON provided a collector’s item, spinning his Mercedes and sending a spray of gravel on to the Silverstone track. When did that last happen? Memory banks were ransacked up in the press room — where we sit apart on socially distanced desks, no cheating — and the last instance that could be recalled was way back during qualifying in Brazil three years ago.

But, shrugging off his detour on the exit of Luffield that caused an eight-minute delay as debris was cleared, Hamilton then did what he does routinely: put himself on pole position. It was the seventh time here, the 91st in all, achieved with a track record of 1min 24.303sec, three-tenths ahead of Valtteri Bottas in the other Mercedes.

The rest were nowhere, with the third-placed Red Bull of Max Verstappen more than a second adrift. The Dutchman is driving out of his skin but his car is slower than a year ago, while Hamilton’s blackliveried time machine is quicker.

So today, in a fan-free Silverstone with no more than ghosts of memories past sitting in the grandstands, Hamilton is the overwhelming favourite to become the first driver to win the British Grand Prix for a seventh time. He has already left

Alain Prost and Jim Clark, with five wins each, in his slipstream.

In doing so Hamilton — who said he has yet to open meaningful discussions over a new contract — will draw on his great Silverstone afternoons. The victories and the crowdsurfing. The flags and hosannas.

‘Normally when I approach this weekend I have a different feeling, part excitement, part nerves, knowing how many people come to this race,’ said the 35-year-old, who is chasing his seventh world title.

‘Those nerves come with wanting to excel and deliver for everybody because this crowd and I have been on an incredible journey together.

‘So I am trying to keep that in mind this weekend. I am reminiscing on the previous years and trying somehow to get that energy and utilise it. It is not easy.

‘I cannot imagine how many people will be watching on TV and I don’t know whether the energy is the same at home as when they are at the track, but I hope I can give them back some positivity.’

In achieving pole, Hamilton banished a patchy showing in the first half of qualifying. Bottas topped Q1 and Q2 as gusts of wind blew across the old World War Two airfield. ‘It’s like juggling balls on a moving plate, at high speed,’ said Hamilton of the challenge.

‘I got into Q2, had that big snap and spin, my first spin in some time. Then it was about trying to recompose myself because qualifying is about building blocks. It was a hard turnaround because Valtteri had been putting in quick lap after quick lap. So going into Q3 I needed a fresh reset mentally.’

Hamilton, reset applied, then put in a pacesetting early lap before beating his own mark with his last sortie at an average speed of 157mph. Job done for the day.

As for his contract, Hamilton seems certain to stay at Mercedes. No so-called rival can, surely, match their superiority going into next season, when the regulations remain the same as a result of coronavirus-inspired cost-saving.

It just awaits Hamilton arm wrestling his way to the right deal, somewhere between the £40million he wants and the £20m team principal Toto Wolff would rather pay him in these belt-tightened times.

What else? Hamilton’s fellow Brit George Russell, 22, had his evening spoilt when he was handed a five-place grid penalty for failing to slow under double waved yellow flags brought about by his fellow Williams man, Nicholas Latifi, spinning off.

Russell now starts at the back of the grid, taking the gloss off his unique distinction of having beaten his team-mate in every Formula One qualifying session he has contested — 21 times last season against Robert Kubica and four times in combat with Latifi. His mistake apart, the Englishman continues to impress while his great pal, Alex Albon, struggles.

The London-born Thai was only 12th fastest, a world behind Red Bull team-mate Verstappen, and is starting to feel pressure for his place. How he manages to hold his nerve under the scrutiny will determine his survival chances at his usually ruthless team.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fourth quickest with Lando Norris, of McLaren, fifth, another encouraging display by the 20-yearold Brit in what is turning into something of a coming-of-age season for the boy in Hamilton’s old seat.