F1 LIVE: Christian Horner says Mercedes ‘let Ferrari off the hook’ with Lewis Hamilton tyre call

Carlos Sainz won a wild and wacky British Grand Prix which saw Zhou Guanyu survive a horror opening-lap crash and protesters invade the track at Silverstone.

Sainz fought his way past Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in a brilliant 10-lap shootout to the chequered flag following a safety car period to claim his maiden Formula One win.

Sergio Perez finished second, with Lewis Hamilton third after he forced his way around Leclerc with four laps of the 52 laps remaining. A record crowd of 142,000 fans in Northamptonshire were treated to the race of the season which started in extraordinary fashion.

Rookie Zhou was approaching the 160mph opening Abbey corner when British driver George Russell tagged the right rear of the Chinese driver’ machine, sending him on to his roof and sliding out of control.

Follow all the reaction to the British Grand Prix as we already look ahead to this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix:

F1 British Grand Prix reaction

• Carlos Sainz won a dramatic British Grand Prix; Sergio Perez 2nd, Lewis Hamilton 3rd

• Lewis Hamilton takes positives from being a ‘step closer’ after claiming Silverstone podium place

• Silverstone protesters remain in custody after ‘irresponsible’ track invasion

• Sebastian Vettel has sympathy with ‘desperate’ F1 protesters but says marshals and drivers were put ‘at risk’

• Guanyu Zhou thanks Silverstone medical team and marshals after horrific crash in British Grand Prix

• Christian Horner says Mercedes ‘let Ferrari off the hook’ with Lewis Hamilton tyre call

Initially criticised by Hamilton and Verstappen, how the halo has saved lives in Formula 1

10:35 , Kieran Jackson

Guanyu Zhou’s harrowing crash at the start of Sunday’s British Grand Prix was another victory for Jean Todt and the FIA technicians who acted on the concerns of drivers back in 2015.

The likes of Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel were pushing for mandatory head protection, particularly in the wake of Justin Wilson’s death in IndyCar that year and Henry Surtees’s sad passing in an F2 race in 2009. Jules Bianchi also lost his battle in July 2015 after his horrific crash at the Japanese Grand Prix nine months earlier.

Yet in the years since, there have been no driver fatalities in Formula 1. Impressive, frankly, considering the scale of accidents we have seen in recent years with Zhou’s the latest in a long list of crashes where the consequences could have been fatal.

While in the 2018 build-up Toto Wolff remarked on the halo, “if you give me a chainsaw I would take it off”, a matter of months later we saw the first instance of its very genuine functionality amid the propelling speed and forces of a Formula 1 car.

Initially criticised by Hamilton and Verstappen, how the halo has saved lives in F1

Lewis Hamilton aims dig at Max Verstappen for 2021 Silverstone collision after racing ‘sensible’ Charles Leclerc

09:58 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton aimed a dig at Max Verstappen after Sunday’s British Grand Prix as he praised ‘sensible’ Charles Leclerc following the Mercedes-Ferrari battle through the closing stages.

Red Bull’s Verstappen memorable crashed into Copse corner on the opening lap of last year’s race after tangling with Hamilton, who went on to win the race despite a 10-second time penalty.

Yet in Sunday’s dramatic Grand Prix at Silverstone, Leclerc and Hamilton battled superbly and fairly through the same corner and seven-time world champion Hamilton couldn’t help but make reference to last year as he praised the Monégasque driver.

“Charles did a great job. What a great battle,” Hamilton told Sky F1.

“Very sensible driver and clearly a lot different to what we experienced last year. In Copse for example, two of us went through there no problem. What a battle.”

Hamilton aims dig at Verstappen for 2021 Silverstone crash after praising Leclerc

Christian Horner says Mercedes ‘let Ferrari off the hook’ with Lewis Hamilton tyre call in British Grand Prix

09:45 , Kieran Jackson

Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Mercedes let Ferrari off the hook with their decision to switch Lewis Hamilton on to hard compound tyres instead of softs.

The seven-time world champion was in the lead of the race having not pitted following the first lap restart and was comfortable on medium tyres.

Yet when Mercedes brought Hamilton in on lap 33, instead of the quicker but less durable soft tyres, the Silver Arrows put the Brit on the safer hard compound to see out the remaining 19 laps of the race. However he did pit again due to a late safety car.

But Horner believes Toto Wolff’s team missed a trick with Hamilton competing in and around Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, with Sainz eventually winning the Grand Prix for his first victory in Formula 1. Hamilton ended up finishing third, as he came out behing the two Ferraris following a slow pit stop before the late drama via the safety car.

Horner says Mercedes ‘let Ferrari off the hook’ with Hamilton tyre call

Welcome back!

09:45 , Kieran Jackson

Stay here for all the latest news in the world of F1 as, after all the drama at Silverstone, we start to look ahead to Austria this weekend...

Sebastian Vettel has sympathy with ‘desperate’ F1 protesters but says marshals and drivers were put ‘at risk’

Monday 4 July 2022 17:55 , Kieran Jackson

Sebastian Vettel has expressed his sympathy with the protestors who ran onto the track during the opening lap of the British Grand Prix - but added that they put drivers and marshals at risk with their actions.

The protestors, from the Just Stop Oil activist group, sat down on the Wellington straight during lap one, with the race red flagged just before the cars reached the group after Guanyu Zhou’s crash seconds earlier at Abbey.

Northamtonshire police say seven people - five men aged between 21 and 46 and two women, 20 and 44 - are still in custody after being arrested following the incident and climate activist Vettel agreed with the tone of their message.

“I guess there was some talk about it, I think everybody is free to have their own view on it,” four-time world champion Vettel said after the race.

Sebastian Vettel has sympathy with ‘desperate’ F1 protesters

Lewis Hamilton says he ‘loves people fighting for the planet’ after seven protestors invaded Silverstone track

Monday 4 July 2022 17:15 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton says he “loves people fighting for the planet” after seven people were arrested following an invasion of the track at the start of the British Grand Prix - later adding that such protests “must be done safely.”

As the contest was immediately red flagged following Guanyu Zhou’s heavy crash at Abbey and cars headed for the pits, protestors broke on to the circuit at the Wellington Straight before sitting down.

Hamilton, who was only told about the focus of the protest in the post-race press conference and was not aware of the method chosen, backed their cause - with those who entered the track wearing T-shirts protesting against global oil usage.

After originally quipping “big up the protestors”, Hamilton later elaborated: “I didn’t know what the protest was for and I’ve only just found out.”

Lewis Hamilton ‘loves people fighting for planet’ after Silverstone track protest

Christian Horner says Mercedes ‘let Ferrari off the hook’ with Lewis Hamilton tyre call in British Grand Prix

Monday 4 July 2022 16:15 , Kieran Jackson

Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes Mercedes let Ferrari off the hook with their decision to switch Lewis Hamilton on to hard compound tyres instead of softs.

The seven-time world champion was in the lead of the race having not pitted following the first lap restart and was comfortable on medium tyres.

Yet when Mercedes brought Hamilton in on lap 33, instead of the quicker but less durable soft tyres, the Silver Arrows put the Brit on the safer hard compound to see out the remaining 19 laps of the race. However he did pit again due to a late safety car.

But Horner believes Toto Wolff’s team missed a trick with Hamilton competing in and around Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, with Sainz eventually winning the Grand Prix for his first victory in Formula 1. Hamilton ended up finishing third, as he came out behing the two Ferraris following a slow pit stop before the late drama via the safety car.

Horner says Mercedes ‘let Ferrari off the hook’ with Hamilton tyre call

‘Today the FIA has saved two lives’: Carlos Sainz thankful after Silverstone win

Monday 4 July 2022 15:45 , Kieran Jackson

Zhou Guanyu escaped without serious injuries thanks to his car’s halo after a terrifying accident, as did Roy Nissany in Formula Two earlier in the day.

Ferrari’s Sainz took his maiden F1 victory at his 150th attempt – beating Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and home favourite Lewis Hamilton in a frenetic climax to the race of the season in front of a record 142,000 fans at Silverstone.

But the 10th round of the campaign will be remembered for a jaw-dropping accident involving Chinese rookie Zhou.

Six seconds after the lights went out, Pierre Gasly made contact with George Russell. The British driver then tagged the right rear of the Zhou’s machine at 160mph, flipping him on to his roof and sliding out of control.

‘Today the FIA has saved two lives’: Carlos Sainz thankful after Silverstone win

What is the ‘halo’ safety device that saved Zhou Guanyu at British Grand Prix?

Monday 4 July 2022 15:15 , Kieran Jackson

Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu credited the ‘halo’ for keeping him alive following his harrowing first-corner crash at Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

Here we take a closer look at the Formula One’s cockpit protection device.

What is the ‘halo’?

A three-pronged titanium safety device which sits above the driver’s head. It is covered with carbon fibre and weighs seven kilograms.

The halo’s job is to absorb a huge impact and to protect the driver from severe head trauma. Remarkably, it can take the weight of a London double decker bus.

More here:

What is the ‘halo’ safety device that saved Zhou Guanyu at British Grand Prix?

Lewis Hamilton takes positives from being a ‘step closer’ after claiming Silverstone podium place

Monday 4 July 2022 14:45 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton took the cheers from his home crowd and urged his team to keep trying to close the gap to the challengers for the Formula One title this season, after claiming third place at the British Grand Prix.

A combination of crashes, Safety Cars, problems to other vehicles and some fantastic late overtaking saw the seven-time champion finish on the podium for the first time since the opening round of the 2022 season in Bahrain, after a campaign of struggle with porpoising and control issues in the new Mercedes car.

But on a day when around 120,000 fans attended race day at Silverstone, Hamilton - who did briefly lead the race - praised the occasion as F1 at its best and hoped the performance could set a platform for improvement across the rest of the year.

“We’ve had the biggest show-up in history, thanks for this incredible support - we don’t see this anywhere else in the world,” he said after the race.

Lewis Hamilton pleased to be a ‘step closer’ after Silverstone podium place

Max Verstappen admits ‘struggles’ throughout British GP but emphasises ‘important points’ after P7 finish

Monday 4 July 2022 14:25 , Kieran Jackson

Max Verstappen empahsised the importance of scoring points after a tricky day at the office at the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Championship leader was winning the race early on before a puncture curtailed his chances, with damage to the bodywork also hampering his performance at Silverstone.

Despite his misfortune, the world champion picked up six points with his Championship lead going into the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend now 34 points from team-mate Sergio Perez.

“An unlucky afternoon,“ he said on Instagram. “We were on it from the beginning of the race, after getting of the line great on both occasions.“After picking up debri my floor was severely damaged and we struggled throughout the race. I gave it my all for P7 and collected important points. We’ll keep pushing to come back stronger in our home race in Austria, can’t wait to see the support by the Orange Army.”

British GP’s chaotic start encapsulates the spectacle and terror of Formula 1’s new era

Monday 4 July 2022 14:05 , Kieran Jackson

Enthralling, thrilling and spine-chilling in equal measure, where on earth to begin to describe this one as the sun sets at Silverstone for another year? Well it’s quite simple really: at the beginning. Because for all the nerve-shredding overtakes, questionable strategy calls and shreds of fortune that followed in a brilliant British Grand Prix – won deservedly by first-time victor Carlos Sainz – the stakes in the opening 20 seconds at lights out could not have been much higher.

While the eyes of a record 140,000 spectators were glazed at the battle of the front, with Max Verstappen overtaking Sainz into turn one, what followed behind encapsulates the mouth-watering madness of high-speed motorsport. It was only a light touch from Pierre Gasly, sandwiched in between George Russell and Guanyu Zhou, but it was enough.

More here:

British GP’s chaotic race opening encapsulates spectacle and terror of F1’s new era

Mick Schumacher says it’s ‘great to get questions from the media away’ after scoring first F1 points

Monday 4 July 2022 13:39 , Kieran Jackson

Mick Schumacher was relieved that he had silenced his critics after scoring the first points of his Formula 1 career at the British Grand Prix.

The Haas driver was involved in a battle with Max Verstappen for seventh in the closing stages but nonetheless crossed the line eighth for the moment he had been waiting for, in the 32nd F1 race of his career.

“I think overall we are really happy coming back from P19,” he told F1.com.

“I said we had the speed to go forwards and we definitely showed it today.

“It’s great for the team, we have the double score in the points. That’s obviously very helpful in the Constructors’, but also for me I think it’s great to just get those questions from the media away and focus on what’s really important and that’s the racing and the driving in itself.”

Charles Leclerc ‘incredibly disappointed’ after British Grand Prix and has sly dig at Ferrari strategy

Monday 4 July 2022 13:00 , Kieran Jackson

Charles Leclerc has spoken of his ‘disappointment’ after finishing the British Grand Prix in fourth - having led the way for much of the dramatic 52-lap race.

The Ferrari driver did not pit for new tyres during the final safety car period, while rivals around him such as team-mate Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton stopping for fresh rubber.

It meant Leclerc was a sitting duck despite his best efforts, ending up off the podium and the Monegasque had a sly dig at his own Ferrari team in an Instagram post after the race.

“Well done to @carlossainz55 on realizing a childhood dream, you deserve it mate,” he said.

“On my side, I’m incredibly disappointed. Damaged car in lap 1 but we were flying. Great fights on track but I couldn’t do much more having old tyres at the end of the race.”

Guanyu Zhou thanks Silverstone medical team and marshals after horrific crash in British Grand Prix

Monday 4 July 2022 12:41 , Kieran Jackson

Guanyu Zhou has paid tribute to the medical staff and marshals at Silverstone who helped with his extraction from his stricken Alfa Romeo following his nasty crash at the British Grand Prix.

The Chinese rookie driver, competing in only his 10th Formula 1 race, was turned upside-down after clashing with George Russell at turn one of the first lap and flew into the perimeter fence beyond the tyre barrier.

The marshals and medical team on-site were quick to react, with Zhou left trapped in the car, extracting him before placing the 23-year-old on a stretcher.

Zhou tweeted shortly afterwards to say that the halo device - introduced in 2018 to protect the drivers while in the cockpit - saved his life and emphasised his gratitude to the Silverstone staff for their ‘fantastic’ work.

He tweeted: “Hi everyone! Thank you all for the kind messages. I want to thank the marshals and the medical team at Silverstone, they were really fantastic. I’m keener than ever to get back on track, see you guys in Austria!”

Guanyu Zhou thanks Silverstone medical team and marshals after horrific crash

Sebastian Vettel has sympathy with ‘desperate’ F1 protesters but says marshals and drivers were put ‘at risk’

Monday 4 July 2022 12:05 , Kieran Jackson

Sebastian Vettel has expressed his sympathy with the protestors who ran onto the track during the opening lap of the British Grand Prix - but added that they put drivers and marshals at risk with their actions.

The protestors, from the Just Stop Oil activist group, sat down on the Wellington straight during lap one, with the race red flagged just before the cars reached the group after Guanyu Zhou’s crash seconds earlier at Abbey.

Northamtonshire police say seven people - five men aged between 21 and 46 and two women, 20 and 44 - are still in custody after being arrested following the incident and climate activist Vettel agreed with the tone of their message.

“I guess there was some talk about it, I think everybody is free to have their own view on it,” four-time world champion Vettel said after the race.

More below:

Sebastian Vettel has sympathy with ‘desperate’ F1 protesters

Silverstone protesters remain in custody after ‘irresponsible’ track invasion

Monday 4 July 2022 11:06 , Kieran Jackson

The protesters who stormed Sunday’s British Grand Prix remain in police custody after Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali labelled their actions as “dangerous and irresponsible”.

Five men, aged between 21 and 46, and two women, 20 and 44, were arrested after the terrifying track invasion on the opening lap at Silverstone.

Although the incident was not shown on F1’s global television feed, eyewitness footage emerged of five people – understood to be representing climate activist group, Just Stop Oil – entering the circuit at the high-speed Wellington Straight. They then sat down on the tarmac.

The race had just been suspended following Zhou Guanyu’s horror first-corner crash, but a number of drivers sped by the quintet as they returned to the pits. The protesters were swiftly dragged away by marshals.

Silverstone protesters remain in custody after ‘irresponsible’ track invasion

Lewis Hamilton says he ‘loves people fighting for the planet’ after seven protestors invaded Silverstone track

Monday 4 July 2022 10:55 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton says he “loves people fighting for the planet” after seven people were arrested following an invasion of the track at the start of the British Grand Prix - later adding that such protests “must be done safely.”

As the contest was immediately red flagged following Guanyu Zhou’s heavy crash at Abbey and cars headed for the pits, protestors broke on to the circuit at the Wellington Straight before sitting down.

Hamilton, who was only told about the focus of the protest in the post-race press conference and was not aware of the method chosen, backed their cause - with those who entered the track wearing T-shirts protesting against global oil usage.

After originally quipping “big up the protestors”, Hamilton later elaborated: “I didn’t know what the protest was for and I’ve only just found out.”

Lewis Hamilton ‘loves people fighting for planet’ after Silverstone track protest

‘Today the FIA has saved two lives’: Carlos Sainz thankful after Silverstone win

Monday 4 July 2022 10:15 , Kieran Jackson

Zhou Guanyu escaped without serious injuries thanks to his car’s halo after a terrifying accident, as did Roy Nissany in Formula Two earlier in the day.

Ferrari’s Sainz took his maiden F1 victory at his 150th attempt – beating Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and home favourite Lewis Hamilton in a frenetic climax to the race of the season in front of a record 142,000 fans at Silverstone.

But the 10th round of the campaign will be remembered for a jaw-dropping accident involving Chinese rookie Zhou.

Six seconds after the lights went out, Pierre Gasly made contact with George Russell. The British driver then tagged the right rear of the Zhou’s machine at 160mph, flipping him on to his roof and sliding out of control.

‘Today the FIA has saved two lives’: Carlos Sainz thankful after Silverstone win

Lewis Hamilton takes positives from being a ‘step closer’ after claiming Silverstone podium place

Monday 4 July 2022 09:48 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton took the cheers from his home crowd and urged his team to keep trying to close the gap to the challengers for the Formula One title this season, after claiming third place at the British Grand Prix.

A combination of crashes, Safety Cars, problems to other vehicles and some fantastic late overtaking saw the seven-time champion finish on the podium for the first time since the opening round of the 2022 season in Bahrain, after a campaign of struggle with porpoising and control issues in the new Mercedes car.

But on a day when around 120,000 fans attended race day at Silverstone, Hamilton - who did briefly lead the race - praised the occasion as F1 at its best and hoped the performance could set a platform for improvement across the rest of the year.

“We’ve had the biggest show-up in history, thanks for this incredible support - we don’t see this anywhere else in the world,” he said after the race.

Lewis Hamilton pleased to be a ‘step closer’ after Silverstone podium place

Carlos Sainz won a wild and wacky British Grand Prix which saw Zhou Guanyu survive a horror opening-lap crash

Monday 4 July 2022 09:47 , Kieran Jackson

Carlos Sainz won a wild and wacky British Grand Prix which saw Zhou Guanyu survive a horror opening-lap crash and protesters invade the track at Silverstone.

Sainz fought his way past Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in a brilliant 10-lap shootout to the chequered flag following a safety car period to claim his maiden Formula One win.

Sergio Perez finished second, with Lewis Hamilton third after he forced his way around Leclerc with four laps of the 52 laps remaining.

Sainz wins chaotic race at Silverstone with Hamilton third after early six-car crash