No driver gained more positions than Lance Stroll in the British Grand Prix, helping to secure four points for Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team at its home race at Silverstone. Sebastian had a strong first half of the race in sixth, before a spin and a late retirement prevented a double-points finish in Aston Martin's first home Grand Prix in 61 years.
Gaining ground
Formula One's first-ever Sprint featured proved exciting, and Sebastian and Lance played their part by battling their way up the field to gain places on the grid for the British Grand Prix. Recap how the 17-lap race played out.
We've been working to find the right car balance and we had a breakthrough today, which is a great credit to the team.
Lance's review
"I am really happy with my race because we were able to turn around a tricky start to the weekend by finishing in P8 and scoring four points. We have been working to find the right car balance and we had a breakthrough today, which is a great credit to the team and all the effort everyone has put in. The key to the race was making two strong starts either side of the red flag, where we gained several places each time. The strategies were quite similar for the whole grid, making overtaking more tricky, but those starts set us up for a good race. The new format has been a challenge for everyone this weekend, but I think there are positives and we can learn how to maximise the other events with Sprints."
The weekend was looking promising and, without all the problems, I should have finished well inside the points.
Sebastian's review
"The weekend was looking promising and, without all the problems, I should have finished well inside the points. I am very disappointed to lose the car in a wheel-to-wheel battle with Fernando [Alonso]. I am not sure exactly what happened, but I misjudged it, lost grip, and spun. After that, I was right at the back. In the end we did not finish the race because the team retired the car with a cooling issue."
We hoped to come away from our home race with more than four points, but those points came after a superb drive by Lance.
Otmar's review
"We had hoped to be coming away from our home Grand Prix with more than the four points we eventually scored, but those four points came our way as a result of a superb drive by Lance, who made up six places this afternoon to convert a P14 grid slot to a P8 finish. No driver made up more places. As for Sebastian, he made a good start when the race recommenced after the coming-together between [Lewis] Hamilton and [Max] Verstappen, and he was dicing with [Fernando] Alonso when he spun at the exit of Turn Seven. He got going again but his race was ended on lap 40 with an engine overheating issue."
In review
Guide to Great Britain
While Silverstone marks a return for Aston Martin, it's always been home for Team Silverstone. That means there's plenty of historic data to analyse to get on top of this demanding track. From choosing the right downforce to anticipating degradation on the freshly resurfaced track, our strategy engineers reveal the key factors that could decide the result on Sunday, alongside our Title Partner Cognizant.
Cognizant's Keys to the Race
Ever since it hosted the first World Championship event in 1950, Silverstone has been a quick track. But it's the unseen details that can make or break a lap around the Northamptonshire circuit. Changeable winds, a bumpy surface, and an average speed well into the 150mph range rewards the brave and savvy. With the help of Cybersecurity Partner SentinelOne, we're unlocking the crucial data behind a rapid lap of Silverstone.
Unlocking the lap
On cold tyres, starting a lap of Silverstone requires an expert blend of tyre whispering and commitment. The preceding final corner of Club can be vital in getting heat into the carcass before starting a quick lap.
Drivers accelerate into top gear and reach 300km/h (186mph), carrying that speed through the infield curves of Abbey and Farm.
Village is a hard braking point, drivers then pull their cars over to the right before Turn Four, where a good exit is critical as it leads onto the long Wellington Straight. It's a fourth-gear corner, taken at around 180km/h (111mph), and the aim is to maximise the exit to smooth out the Aintree kink before hitting that back straight.
Drivers nudge 315km/h (195mph), but the braking zone into Turn Six (Brooklands), a 180km/h (111mph) left-hander, is bumpy and easily affected by head- and tailwinds – so it's easy to get caught out.
At Brooklands, it's also tricky to find the apex and get the car lined up for the medium-speed Luffield double right-hander. It's important to maximise the exit, stay wide and get the throttle down early to push into the next high-speed section.
Unlocking the lap
After Copse, there's no time to breathe as drivers barrel into the iconic Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel complex. The Maggotts left-right-left slalom is completely flat, drivers shift down a few gears for Becketts and are hard on the throttle again for Chapel. It's a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sequence where drivers pull lateral loads of over 5G at speeds over 300km/h (186mph).
The Hangar Straight is another lengthy flat-out run, and the braking zone into Stowe is a prime overtaking spot. This is another downforce tester, and one where a headwind can catch a driver out. Keeping speeds high and committing to riding the outside kerb is key.
Drivers then descend through Vale, past the pitlane entry, and into the slowest section of the lap. Entering wide before dropping to speeds as low as 110km/h (68mph), drivers have to be patient before picking up the throttle.
With only Club left before completing the lap, many drivers have ruined an effort here. Patiently waiting for the moment to get back on the power onto the Hamilton Straight is the final challenge before beginning another nail-biting lap.
The birthplace of the World Championship and the home of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team. From the first true Formula One race in 1950 to Aston Martin's historic return, Silverstone's storied history makes it an iconic circuit. Our Global Partner NetApp presents the highlight bitesize facts and figures for the weekend.
#IAMSTORIES - Jay
A lifelong Formula One fan, fortunate enough to have followed the championship to several circuits around the world. But for Jay, nothing compares to our home race at Silverstone. Read his story and learn what makes the British Grand Prix a standout event.
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