F1 British Grand Prix Preview: Russell Eyes Back-to-Back Wins at Home as Antonelli and Hamilton Come to Silverstone

[EdgeLord]

Formula One moves immediately to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix on July 3 to 5 in a back-to-back weekend with Austria. George Russell arrives at his home race on the back of a dominant Austrian victory and with the championship gap to Antonelli reduced to 40 points. The British Grand Prix is always one of the season's emotional high points for the home drivers and this year it carries championship weight too. Russell winning back-to-back races and further cutting into Antonelli's lead would be the story of the season to date.

Antonelli arrives as championship leader but will be wary of a circuit where Russell has historically been extremely strong and where the home crowd factor is real and significant. Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari also has questions to answer after the Austrian strategy misfire left him fifth from third on the grid. Silverstone tends to suit the faster, more powerful cars and Hamilton will know that a strong weekend here, on a track he has won at more times than any other, could put him firmly back in the title conversation.

The Verstappen-Hamilton battle during Saturday's Austrian race, where the pair traded paint around the Red Bull Ring in a wheel-to-wheel duel that saw Verstappen going onto the gravel on lap 11 before eventually prevailing, was one of the most entertaining on-track battles of the season and both men will arrive at Silverstone looking to continue that dynamic. With Red Bull making their first strategic error of the season in Austria by leaving Verstappen out too long, the question is whether Horner's team can find the pace and strategy to challenge at a circuit traditionally less favourable to them than Spielberg.

2026 F1 Austrian Grand Prix - resultsracingnews365.com