Silverstone will host the British GP until at least 2024
- by Grant Boone
- in Sports
- — Jul 13, 2019
The 34-year-old will surpass Jim Clark and Alain Prost's five wins in the race with victory at Silverstone on Sunday.
With Mercedes winning all but one race this year, a dominant run that was ended in Austria at the end of last month by Red Bull's Max Verstappen, they will again start as favourites.
Hamilton, 31 points clear of Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas, has won four of the last five races at Silverstone - losing out past year to Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel after starting on pole position.
"Fortunately, the English summer is known for more moderate temperatures, so cooling should not be a major issue for us in Silverstone". He leads his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas by 31 points and is a country mile clear of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who trails by 74. Channel 4 is to show the race live, the only meeting on free-to-air TV in the United Kingdom this year but the broadcaster has also announced it will show the cricket live.
"I don't understand why the organisers put the race on the same day as all these other big events", Hamilton said at Silverstone, discussing the Cricket World Cup and Wimbledon finals.
"I come here to raise the flag and do the country proud", Hamilton said.
Good news! Silverstone will continue to host the British Grand Prix until at least 2024, after a new five-year deal was signed securing the circuit's future. "If I'm not, if I stop racing, then I won't be here in any other capacity".
For Hamilton, now in his 13th season in F1, the race still retained particular resonance.
'The British Grand Prix is the most special of the year, ' he said. It really is a spectacular weekend.
'There's excitement and adrenaline.
"My whole family is coming this weekend so it's that one weekend where it's the most special because your closest support surround you".
"The sheer magnitude of it, how many people come here".
Norris has been instrumental in taking McLaren into fourth in the constructors' championship and has shown huge promise.
The British Racing Drivers' Club has been running Silverstone for 70 years - indeed, Silverstone is the only circuit in the United Kingdom licenced to run a GP - and we're told it's spent £50m over the last ten years to keep developing it.
Mr Grant said they do have concerns about having another race "on their doorstep" but added that "open and frank" discussions had taken place and were certain that anything that brings more fans to F1 is good for them.
