F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix LIVE: Latest updates as Lewis Hamilton chases another win at Silverstone – The Sun
F1 is at Silverstone for a second week running and Lewis Hamilton will be hoping for a similar result.
The Brit showed incredible calmness in last week's British Grand Prix to win even after his tire punctured on the final lap.
HAM IT HOME
Lewis Hamilton says that this season's title race comes in “the most important year of his life” as he continues to fight to end racism and support the Black Lives Matter movement.
He said: “It is the most important year of my life to date with everything that is going on.
“It is a different fight, championship-wise to other years. In the past, we have had the years where we fought Ferrari or Red Bull.
“This year, it is different up to this point. But I do think it is a special year and I don't take that lightly.
“People often ask where we get our motivation from and there are so many things to take inspiration for and to be fighting for a championship in a time like this is empowering and exciting with the thought that there could be change to follow.”
LEW BEAUTY
At last week's British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton said he had not even started talking to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff about new terms.
And Thursday, ahead of F1's 70th Anniversary GP, the 35-year-old said he intends to commit to the team to help see through their increased diversity programme.
He said: “I am not talking to anyone else and I am looking forward to continuing, particularly as we have just started a new chapter as a team in terms of how we educate ourselves, how we understand what we are going to do to help be more diverse and more inclusive.
“I am super excited that what is possible with Mercedes-Benz and this team moving forward. It will get done at some stage so I am not stressed.”
SLICED HAM
Lewis Hamilton could be set for a pay-cut following the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The F1 world champion has not started talks over the new deal because he feels uncomfortable speaking about it when people are losing their jobs.
Hamilton's current contract, believed to be worth around £40million a year, is due to expire in December.
But the Brit's moral compass has kicked in after last month Merc's owners Daimler said they needed to cut more than the 15,000 jobs they had previously announced.
He said: “Ultimately, it honestly doesn't feel like the right time to sit down and talk about it.
“When you think about so many people in the world who have lost their jobs, people unemployed, and to sit down and negotiate a big contract, it doesn't feel like the most important thing that I need to apply time to at this second.
“I do want to continue with the team and it is not a big effort for us to sit down and get it done.
“It is just right now I don't feel comfortable about it so I am going to wait a little bit longer.”
GOOD EVENING FORMULA ONE FANS,
Lewis Hamilton kept his cool in remarkable fashion as he drove to British Grand Prix victory on three wheels.
The Brit's front tyre completely gave way on the final lap at Silverstone, and he just about nursed the car home with sparks flying everywhere in a heart-stopping finale.
The victory bumped the Mercedes man's lead at the top of the championship up to a healthy 30 points.
He said afterwards: “That is the most dramatic ending to a race I remember having.
“It was heated, a real challenge. I was super cool during the whole experience.
“I guess it hadn’t really sunk in, then afterwards it started to dawn on me what I had just faced so I had a delayed reaction.
“There was the race in Formula Renault where the rear suspension had snapped, I remember driving through the corners with one wheel in the air.
“I still managed to win just, I don’t know how. It was similar today but it was much more extreme.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Magnussen has explained why he did not take a knee ahead of the British Grand Prix last weekend – when he had done so in the previous three races.
The Dane decided to stand with the other six drivers ahead of the race at Silverstone for the anti-racism message.
He said: “I think in terms of standing or kneeling, I want to make sure that I'm with the messaging of ending racism.
“I support that movement, and not any sort of political organisation that I think the Black Lives Matter movement is.
“I kind of just want to separate myself from that, and then push on with ending racism and that messaging, which I think is great that Formula One is doing and that all of the drivers are supporting.”
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