Murray mural is class but Max wreath? Leave it out

■ AS much as F1 is trying to look to the future, there was a nod to the past as fans were wowed by a stunning street art mural tribute to the late Murray Walker.

The legendary commentator’s face, as well as his famous line ‘Excuse me while I interrupt myself’, is featured on the winner’s trophy for today’s race.

A very nice touch indeed.

■ STARS will fill the paddock today with Hollywood star Tom Cruise the pick of the bunch.

The Mission Impossible actor, who was at Wimbledon and Wembley last Sunday, is heading to Silverstone as a guest of Mercedes and he will get to see the work of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas up close.

Harrison Ford is en route while rapper Stormzy will also be at the former airfield for this sell-out Grand Prix.

■ HELMET changes are all the rage this weekend but few have struck a chord quite like McLaren’s Lando Norris. The 21-year-old’s helmet features dozens of thank-you messages from supporters to healthcare workers who have been central to fighting Covid. The helmet will be raffled off after the GP for mental health charity Our Frontline.

■ FOR a few hours here it felt like the pandemic was nothing more than a memory. There were 100,000 fans packed into the stands and today’s there’ll be 140,000 at the biggest sporting event since the pandemic began. The sell-out crowd has provided a reminder, if anyone needed one, about how soulless sport is without them.

■ THE sprint was doing so much right until it came to the parade lap where, standing on a moving lorry, Max Verstappen was presented with a winner’s laurels. It was the first time since Alain Prost at the 1985 Italian Grand Prix that a driver donned the leaves. Prost looked great, Verstappen did not.