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Tyres NorthamptonLike F1 itself, Silverstone seems to be going from strength to strength, with attendances increasing annually and the circuit making the Grand Prix more of a show than it did in days gone by. Some 400,000 spectators passed the turnstiles over the three days last year. That number could swell even higher in 2023, despite the controversial 'dynamic pricing' for tickets inflating the value of even general admission to eyewatering levels.
It's a familiar venue for F1 and the fans, but there are still bits to keep an eye on in 2023. Most noticeable for this year are two special liveries coming from two classic British teams. McLaren will sport a version of their chrome livery raced by Hamilton in his title-winning 2008 season, albeit with the papaya orange and 'Chrome' (note the capital C!) branding, rather than the classic Vodafone red.
The online reception to McLaren's release images was mixed, but Williams' new paint job has had universal acclaim from fans. The engine cover sees a blue-and-white Union flag, with white rear wing endplates housing a more prominent Gulf sponsorship. With Alex Albon enjoying time in the points-scoring positions over the past few races, the Grove-based team will hope their new look will capture points as well as it has captured hearts.
Finally, there's the little matter of an 11th team joining the paddock for the British GP. After all of the opposition facing Andretti Autosport and Porsche joining as a new team, it seems that being a fictional team with Brad Pitt as a driver is the key to growing the grid. Pitt is filming for an Apple TV+ movie, and his 'Apex GP' team will run on track over the British GP weekend.
The C1, C2, and C3 tyres are the available compounds at Silverstone, but not as the teams and drivers know them. Pirelli has a new specification that will run for the remainder of the 2023 season starting this weekend that should see 'extra resistance against fatigue' according to the Italian manufacturer.
Should rain feature, however, and there's been plenty of it in recent races, the Intermediate and Wet compounds remain as they were, with only the slick tyres having a change. Limited running on the updated tyre construction came in the Spanish GP's Free Practice sessions, but expect all the teams to try and learn as much as they can ahead of Saturday's qualifying to maximise their performances.
It might not be what the home fans want to read, but Max Verstappen is enjoying a run of form that looks impossible to stop in 2023. The Austrian Grand Prix represented his fifth consecutive victory, and that excludes the Sprint win he took last Saturday, with both of his Spielberg successes seeing the Dutch driver look untouchable.
Ferrari became the team that looked most likely to challenge Verstappen last time, and Carlos Sainz took his maiden – and only F1 win – at Silverstone 12 months ago. Whether the Scuderia can repeat that form is another story, however. The Italian outfit is just like Mercedes and Aston Martin, with their pace coming and going on a race-by-race basis.
George Russell would love to right the wrong of last year when his first home Grand Prix in competitive machinery ended after only one corner. He and teammate Hamilton will hope Mercedes bring something that was lacking in Austria to challenge, but a podium place might be the most realistic possibility for either Brit.
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The British Grand Prix will come live on Sky Sports AND Channel 4 this weekend, with both broadcasters showing every session to U.K. audiences. Qualifying and the Grand Prix start at 3 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
Qualifying – On air: 2 PM, Session start: 3 PM Saturday 8th July
Race – On air: 1:30 PM, Session start: 3 PM Sunday 8th July
Qualifying – On air: 2 PM, Session start: 3 PM, Highlights: 11:55 PM Saturday 8th July
Race – On air: 1:30 PM, Session start: 3 PM, Highlights 11:50 PM Sunday 8th July
Qualifying/Race – If you're feeling glum that you aren't going to the race this weekend, feel better that you'd most likely need your umbrella to stay dry. Rain looks likely to feature on Saturday and Sunday, and forecasts suggest the likelihood of wet qualifying and a wet race is about 50%.