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F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix result: Max Verstappen wins ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas
Re-live lap-by-lap updates from Silverstone where Red Bull recorded their first win of the season after Hamilton and Bottas struggled with tyre issues once again
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Follow the latest updates live from Formula One’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone as Valtteri Bottas starts on pole position ahead of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Last weekend’s British Grand Prix saw Hamilton emerge victorious despite suffering a last-lap puncture, which has given the six-time world champion a healthy lead in the drivers’ standings ahead of Bottas - who was not so lucky as a similar puncture cost him second place and a points finish. The Finn will be looking to make up lost ground this afternoon, but will be taking on Hamilton at a track where he has already won seven times in his career.
Stand-in Nico Hulkenberg produced a stunning qualifying display to take third on the grid in the Racing Point ahead of the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, with Daniel Ricciardo also impressing as he secured fifth position on the grid in the Renault. The race gets under way at 2:10pm, and you can follow the live updates below.
When is it?
The F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix takes place on Sunday 9 August.
What time does it start?
The race will begin at 2:10pm BST, with the chequered flag set to drop shortly before 4pm.
How can I watch it?
All European races will be held behind closed doors, meaning that the only way fans will be able to see the action is on television.
In the UK, Sky Sports continue to hold the exclusive rights for F1, with Channel 4 only able to show the British Grand Prix live each season.
If you’re not a Sky customer you can purchase a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
Here’s how Sky and Channel 4 plan to show the British Grand Prix:
FRIDAY
Free practice 1: 10:30am – 12:50am BST – (Sky Sports F1 + Sky Sports Main Event)
Free practice 2: 2:45pm – 4:45pm BST (Sky Sports F1 + Sky Sports Main Event)
SATURDAY
Free practice 3: 10:45am – 12:10pm BST (Sky Sports F1 + Sky One)
Qualifying: 1pm – 3:35pm BST (Sky Sports F1 + Sky One)
SUNDAY
Race: 12:30pm – 5pm BST (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky One)
Highlights: 6:30pm - 7:30pm BST (Sky Sports F1 + Sky One), 6:30pm - 9pm BST (Channel 4)
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Grid
1 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1min 25.154secs
2 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:25.217
3 Nico Hulkenburg (Ger) Racing Point 1:26.082
4 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:26.176
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:26.297
6 Lance Stroll (Can) Racing Point 1:26.428
7 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:26.534
8 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:26.614
9 Alexander Albon (Tha) Red Bull 1:26.669
10 Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:26.778
11 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:27.078
12 Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:27.083
13 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:27.254
14 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Renault 1:27.011 + three-place penalty
15 George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:27.455
16 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:27.882
17 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:28.236
18 Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:28.430
19 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:28.433
20 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:28.493
Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of today's F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, where Valtteri Bottas will be looking to hit back in his championship battle with Lewis Hamilton after beating his Mercedes teammate to pole position.
We begin with the developing story surrounding Racing Point and the copying scandal that has rocked the paddock this weekend.
In case you hadn't seen, Racing Point have been docked 15 points and fined €400,000 for copying the brake ducts of last year's Mercedes, which was proven after multiple protests from Renault after three of the four races this season.
The situation has quickly moved on with five teams signalling their intention to appeal - Racing Point against the verdict and Renault, Ferrari, McLaren and Williams who feel the sanction is not harsh enough and who believe that Racing Point should not be allowed to use the brake ducts for the rest of the season.
Well, Racing Point have hit back, with an "angry" Lawrence Stroll, their team owner, releasing a video statement to condemn their rivals for appealing the sanction.
“I do not often speak publicly, however I am extremely angry at any suggestion we have been underhand or have cheated. My integrity - and that of my team - are beyond question.”
Read the full statement here:
The 2020 season has been all about Lewis Hamilton so far this season, with the reigning champion winning three of the last four races and building a 30-point lead in the drivers' championship.
But on Saturday, it was Valtteri Bottas's time to shine as the Finn put his Mercedes on pole position, producing a lap time that was just 0.063s faster than Hamilton's provisional time to secure top spot.
That could be crucial today, as it gives Bottas the choice of strategy and the track position in a car that is the equal of Hamilton's unstoppable Mercedes. Could he clock up his second win of the season this afternoon? He's given himself the best chance to do that so far this weekend.
The same seven drivers remain standing while the 13 others take a knee at the front of the grid, with the paddock still split on F1's anti-racism message. Nico Hulkenberg elects to take a knee, having made it to the grid this time around after last weekend's false start, with the Racing Point driver following the lead of regular drivers Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez in showing his support in the fight against racism.
Final preparations are underway as the drivers begin to climb into the cockpit, with the already thread-bare grid starting to thin out as we tick down towards lights out. With about 10 minutes to go until we're under way, here's how the grid shapes up this afternoon.
1 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1min 25.154secs
2 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:25.217
3 Nico Hulkenburg (Ger) Racing Point 1:26.082
4 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:26.176
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:26.297
6 Lance Stroll (Can) Racing Point 1:26.428
7 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:26.534
8 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:26.614
9 Alexander Albon (Tha) Red Bull 1:26.669
10 Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:26.778
11 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:27.078
12 Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:27.083
13 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:27.254
14 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Renault 1:27.011 + three-place penalty
15 George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:27.455
16 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:27.882
17 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:28.236
18 Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:28.430
19 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:28.433
20 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:28.493
It is of course a race designed to remember everything that has gone before us in Formula One, with 2020 exactly 70 years on from the first ever Grand Prix that took place at Silverstone, the home of motor racing.
However, the question today will be who will take a step towards becoming the 70th world championship? Right now, Lewis Hamilton is odds-on favourite to make it seven world titles, but the one man who can stop him starts from pole position this afternoon in the form of Valtteri Bottas. It's a case of now or never for the Mercedes man.
Bottas embarks on a much faster formation lap than Hamilton's last week, which he also did in Austria in the first race of the season. However, his starts have not been as good as Hamilton's this season, and the race to the first corner is a fairly long one here.
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