2015 British Grand Prix

Lore & Background

Lewis Hamilton was the defending race winner, and came into the event with a ten-point lead over teammate Nico Rosberg in the World Drivers' Championship. In the Constructors' Championship, Mercedes were leading Ferrari by 136 points, with Williams a further 63 points adrift. Hamilton took pole position during Saturday's qualifying, his eighth of the season, ahead of Rosberg and the two Williams of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas. The first lap of the race saw Massa and Bottas take first and second place respectively through fast starts. They were able to hold their positions until the pit stops. Rain in the latter part of the race gave Sebastian Vettel the chance to overtake the two Williams for the last podium position. Hamilton won the race for the second consecutive year, 11 seconds ahead of his teammate, extending his championship lead to 17 points.

Reader's Guide

The race was held at Silverstone in its revised 2011 Arena Grand Prix layout, described as 'one of the fastest circuits in the F1 calendar'. Pirelli nominated their two hardest dry-weather compounds: the white-banded medium tyre as the option selection and the orange-banded hard tyre as the prime compound. The race stewards were FIA World Council member Lars Österlind, President of the Barbados Motoring Federation Andrew Mallalieu, and 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell.

Did You Know?

• The race marked the 900th Grand Prix contested by at least one car using a Ferrari engine.
• Force India introduced a new B-spec version of their VJM08 at this race, featuring a shorter nose with 'nostrils'.
• Manor Marussia secured new sponsorship ahead of the race, changing its livery.
• The sell-out crowd on Sunday was 140,000.