Lewis Hamilton needs to win on Sunday. He is 32 points behind Max Verstappen in the 2021 F1 Driver Standings. Likewise, his team, Mercedes, is 44 points behind Red Bull in the Constructor Standings. That is to say, Hamilton is desperate for a win this weekend at his home track, Silverstone. Here is what you should look for at this weekend’s British GP.
Home Sweet Home for Lewis Hamilton?
Hamilton has won six of the last eight races at Silverstone. He is a thrill to watch in most races, but he’s especially fun to watch at home. With nearly 140,000 spectators expected in attendance on Sunday, this could be Hamilton’s best chance to catch Verstappen.
The weather is supposed to be rather nice this weekend. No rain in the forecast, with highs of 28 degrees Celsius expected on both Saturday and Sunday. Would rain give Hamilton a better chance at winning on Sunday? Who knows.
To sum up, Lewis has a home track advantage this weekend. Sure, this will also be a home race for Lando Norris and George Rusell, who are both from England. But, this is Lewis’s race. He needs to win more than anybody and it won’t hurt that he can do it at Silverstone.
New Sprint Qualifying Could Help Lewis Hamilton
This weekend marks the first of three Sprint Qualifying sessions. Ironically, Hamilton is not enthusiastic about the new qualifying. Last week, he said that he has “not particularly” high hopes and expects it to be a “train”. So, Hamilton isn’t too thrilled with the new format.
However, I for one am excited to see what sprint qualifying has in store. Hamilton already finished first in the qualifying for the inaugural event, so it can’t be all bad right? This is a great opportunity to try new things and do something different. If it doesn’t work out, then we can scrape it and go back to the old way. I wonder though, if Hamilton does well in this event, maybe he uses his power and influence to make this a permanent fixture on future race weekends? Will be fascinating to watch.
Mercedes Bringing an Upgrade to Silverstone?
Coming into the weekend, Mercedes announced it is bringing upgrades to the Silver Arrows. “It’s not a massive update… but it definitely helps us in terms of closing that gap quickly,” said Hamilton. Is this similar to when he says “I can’t feel my tires” and then runs another 30 laps on them? Who knows, but if Mercedes is making their car, which has won every constructor’s title since 2014, better than watch out.
Certainly, Mercedes needs to do everything they can to give Hamilton and Valterri Bottas a chance at winning. Brining an upgraded car does that and it puts the Silver Arrows in a great opportunity to win. So, if Lewis and/or Valterri find themselves on the podium Sunday, don’t be surprised if they mention the upgraded cars being a difference-maker.
Conclusion
Hamilton and Mercedes need to win on Sunday. Plain and simple. There aren’t a lot of opportunities like Silverstone this weekend to catch Red Bull. But with fans, a new qualifying format, and upgraded cars, it’s hard not to like Mercedes this weekend. Now, it is up to the drivers to make it happen.
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