The ninth round of the 2014 Formula 1 season took place at the Silverstone circuit in Buckinghamshire, Britain.
It was the 50th Grand Prix to be held at the challenging 3.677 mile track and the 65th time the British Grand Prix has featured on the F1 calendar.
Following a hugely successful return to the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Grand Prix, the sport headed home to where it all began - the first ever F1 world championship round took place at Silverstone.
Eight of the 11 teams are based close to the circuit too, and it proved to be a hugely important weekend for women in F1 with Susie Wolff making her race weekend debut in first practice for Williams.
Here is my weekend report for the 2014 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which will be updated after each session.
FP1
It was a relatively quiet start to the first practice session, with Kevin Magnussen being the first driver to take to the track. Four test and reserve drivers completed practice one, with Daniel Juncadella, Wolff, Giedo van der Garde and Robin Frijns sampling 2014 machinery once again.
However, Wolff's session only lasted 20 minutes after her FW36 ground to a halt with a reliability issue at the final corner. The Williams team's day went from bad to worse after Felipe Massa crashed at the exit of Stowe just a few moments later.
The red flag emerged as the track was cleared, with the session resuming a little while later. Nico Rosberg led the way for most of practice one and eventually set the pace with a 1m35.424, just over seven tenths clear of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
The home favourite had to back off on his fastest lap due to a spinning Marcus Ericsson. There were plenty of off-track excursions as drivers got to grips with tackling the tricky track at the wheel of the 2014 cars. Fernando Alonso was third, with Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button, Daniil Kvyat, Jean-Eric Vergne and Kevin Magnussen completing the top 10.
FP2
It was a busy start to second practice for the British Grand Prix weekend, with Valtteri Bottas being the first driver to emerge from the pit lane and put in the first timed lap.
The Finn held the top spot early on before he was displaced by the Mercedes duo. Drivers first completed running on the hard compound Pirelli tyre before switching to qualifying runs on the option rubber mid-way through the session.
It was Hamilton who topped second practice, despite losing 28 minutes of running due to an engine problem. His best lap of 1m34.508 was two tenths faster than his team-mate Nico Rosberg's best effort, with Alonso in third.
Ricciardo was fourth on the hard tyre, with Vettel and Bottas next up. The Finn lost a few minutes of track time after his engine cover seemingly exploded on the Hanger Straight. Button, Magnussen, Raikkonen and Vergne - who was forced to stop his car with a problem on the left-front wheel in the final minutes - completed the top 10.
The fans were treated to plenty of action, including several off-track excursions, as teams and drivers gathered data on both high and low fuel, as well as on the two tyre compounds.
FP3
Third and final practice for the British Grand Prix took place in damp, dull and cool conditions. It was a rather quiet start, with most of the drivers remaining in the pits in the opening few minutes.
However, when the cars did take to the circuit, it was certainly entertaining for those in the grandstands (including myself). I was sat at the International Pit Straight, near the final corner. It proved to be a tricky turn to master, with plenty of slides and off-track excursions, including a spin for Grosjean.
Vettel ended the session at the top of the timesheets with a 1m52.522, one tenth ahead of his team-mate. Ricciardo finished ahead of the two Lotus drivers, with Maldonado ahead of Grosjean. Sutil was fifth, with Sutil, Magnussen and Button. Bottas and Raikkonen completed the top 10.
Vergne and Gutierrez were 11th and 12th for Toro Rosso and Sauber respectively. Marussia suffered a difficult morning with Jules Bianchi crashing at Stowe, although his car only made light contact with the wall.
Meanwhile Max Chilton lost track time with a gearbox problem that ultimately handed him a five-place grid penalty. Hamilton and Rosberg both completed laps but failed to set a time, as did Alonso.
Qualifying
Q1
A dry line had emerged for the start of the first 18-minute qualifying session, but the majority of the drivers opted to complete a tentative installation lap on the intermediate tyres.
However, with the circuit conditions improving, most of the field swiftly pitted for a set of slick Pirelli tyres. The times tumbled and the order constantly changed but there were also plenty of incidents as drivers pushed to the limit - including a spin for Sutil.
Williams and Ferrari left it too late to switch to dry rubber, with Bottas and Massa both missing out on making it through to the second segment. A spin for Alonso cost him a place in the next session, with Raikkonen also failing to progress, producing a surprising and shocking result.
Ericsson and Kobayashi qualified 21st and 22nd for the 2014 British Grand Prix. Rosberg was fastest with a 1m40.380, while Ricciardo and Vettel narrowly made it through.
Q2
The second session started in frantic style as the field completed a banker lap in the early stages. The intermediate compound was the tyre of choice at first due to the late rain in Q1, but the slicks were soon needed once again.
The conditions remained difficult for the drivers, with Gutierrez backing his Sauber C33 into the wall during Q2. He ultimately set the 14th fastest time, but the Mexican dropped to the back of the grid due to a 10-place grid penalty for an unsafe pit release in Austria.
Grosjean was the first driver to lose out on a place in the top 10 shoot-out, with the Marussia duo of Bianchi and Chilton next up. However, the latter's five-place grid drop for a gearbox change will see him fall to 17th.
Maldonado finished 15th but was excluded from qualifying after the stewards failed to collect a fuel sample from his Renault-powered E22, with the Venezuelan parking his car in the closing minutes of the session.
He dropped to 20th, as the two Caterham drivers failed to set a time within 107%. Sutil failed to set a time after he beached his car in the gravel in the previous session and was classified 16th.
Q3
The top 10 shoot-out was dramatic to say the least and produced a rather unexpected result. With rain scheduled for mid-way through the session, drivers headed out in the opening stages to get a time on the board.
Hamilton took the early lead by two tenths from his team-mate Rosberg, before the field returned to the pits as the wet weather returned. However, the shower was only brief and the pack re-emerged on the slick tyres a few minutes later.
The majority of the drivers were surprised by the sudden improvement in track conditions, particularly in sector three. Hamilton chose to abort his final run - a mistake that he later owned up to - but the home favourite eventually slipped to sixth by the chequered flag.
Rosberg moved to the front with a 1m35.766, taking his fourth pole position of the season. Vettel jumped up to second, with Button improving to third. Hulkenberg and Magnussen managed to sneak ahead of Hamilton, with Perez, Ricciardo, Kvyat and Vergne rounding out the top 10.
Results:
The Race
Conditions were dry but rather cool for the ninth round of the 2014 season, which took place at the iconic Silverstone circuit. With it being a home race for three drivers and eight teams on the grid, the pressure was on to score a good result.
Rosberg took pole position on Saturday in what was one of the most dramatic qualifying sessions in recent F1 history. Hamilton was sixth fastest after aborting his final lap, could he make his way up the field? Read on to find out...
The revs rose, the lights went out and the race got under way. Off the line, Rosberg had a strong start and eked out a small lead on the run to turn one. Vettel and Hulkenberg both had poor getaways and dropped back, with Button, Magnussen and Hamilton moving into second, third and fourth.
Perez and Vergne collided at Abbey, which spread out the midfield and helped the likes of Bottas and Alonso to progress. Raikkonen went wide at the exit of turn five but as he returned to the track at speed, he lost control of the car after hitting a bump and spun to the right.
He made heavy contact with the barrier - the impact was registered as 47G - and spun across the track, collecting Kobayashi and Massa. The latter was forced to retire but the Caterham driver was able to continue after a trip across the grass.
I was at the race and had a great view of the chaos from the Woodcote grandstand. The red flags emerged, with the British Grand Prix being stopped for nearly an hour as the barrier was fixed - something that many complained about but was needed for the safety of the other drivers.
Following the long pause, the racing resumed behind the safety car. The Mercedes AMG SLS was out for just one lap before it released Rosberg, who made a strong jump on the chasing Button. Hamilton wasted no time in displacing Magnussen at Copse, after the Dane ran wide, and quickly set about overtaking the second McLaren.
He did so a few laps later and moved up to second. Bottas was on a charge after progressing to ninth on the opening tour. He completed several impressive moves, as did Alonso, while an attempted overtake on Maldonado by Gutierrez didn't go so well.
The Mexican made contact with the Lotus driver on lap nine as they entered Club corner, pitching Maldonado into the air. Impressively he managed to continue but Gutierrez retired on the next lap.
Rosberg pitted at the end of lap 18 for the final time, with Hamilton staying out for several tours before he took to the pit lane for fresh Pirelli rubber. The Brit incredibly took the lead a few tours later after his team-mate slowed with a gearbox problem.
The German desperately tried to continue but he was forced to retire, which cost us a great battle for the win. The crowd cheered with delight as the Brit took over the lead, dominating the rest of the British Grand Prix.
With Hamilton extending his advantage, all eyes switched to a titanic fight for fifth place between Alonso and Vettel. The two world champions scrapped for several laps, changing positions several times before the latter eventually made the move stick and eked out a gap.
It was a fantastic battle and it largely took place around the Brooklands/Luffield section of the circuit, meaning I had a great view of it all. Maldonado was a late retirement with an exhaust issue, although he was classified in 17th.
Hamilton crossed the finish line to take a dominant victory on home soil, scoring his second victory at Silverstone. Bottas took a clear second, with Ricciardo just holding on to third after a late charge by Button.
Lewis Hamilton takes victory at the 2014 British Grand Prix
It was a brilliant result for Hamilton and a great drive, although it would have certainly been a close battle for the lead had Rosberg not retired. It helped the 2008 champion move to within four points of his team-mate in the drivers' standings, giving his title bid a boost.
Bottas drove a faultless race to secure his best ever F1 finish and his second consecutive podium after starting in 14th place, with Ricciardo completing a popular podium despite a poor grid position.
It was an emotional weekend for Button, as it was the first British Grand Prix since his father John's sad death earlier in the year. He just missed out on his first ever podium in the sport at Silverstone by nine tenths, with Vettel and Alonso next up after their strong scrap.
Magnussen finished seventh, rounding out an encouraging race for McLaren. Hulkenberg dropped to eighth and struggled to match the pace of those ahead, just holding off Kvyat. The Russian youngster finished ahead of his more experienced team-mate once again, with Vergne rounding out the top 10.
Perez recovered from his first lap clash to finish 11th, with Grosjean and Sutil next up after quiet runs to 12th and 13th respectively. Bianchi was one of the stars of qualifying but the Marussia ultimately didn't have the pace to challenge those he started ahead of.
Kobayashi took the chequered flag in 15th, with Chilton in 16th. Maldonado retired but was classified 17th. Rosberg exited the race with a gearbox issue, while Ericsson failed to finish after a suspension issue. Gutierrez retired with crash damage, as did Massa, while Raikkonen was lucky to emerge unscathed from his first lap accident.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Following a hugely successful return to the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Grand Prix, the sport headed home to where it all began - the first ever F1 world championship round took place at Silverstone.
Eight of the 11 teams are based close to the circuit too, and it proved to be a hugely important weekend for women in F1 with Susie Wolff making her race weekend debut in first practice for Williams.
Here is my weekend report for the 2014 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which will be updated after each session.
FP1
It was a relatively quiet start to the first practice session, with Kevin Magnussen being the first driver to take to the track. Four test and reserve drivers completed practice one, with Daniel Juncadella, Wolff, Giedo van der Garde and Robin Frijns sampling 2014 machinery once again.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
However, Wolff's session only lasted 20 minutes after her FW36 ground to a halt with a reliability issue at the final corner. The Williams team's day went from bad to worse after Felipe Massa crashed at the exit of Stowe just a few moments later.
The red flag emerged as the track was cleared, with the session resuming a little while later. Nico Rosberg led the way for most of practice one and eventually set the pace with a 1m35.424, just over seven tenths clear of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
The home favourite had to back off on his fastest lap due to a spinning Marcus Ericsson. There were plenty of off-track excursions as drivers got to grips with tackling the tricky track at the wheel of the 2014 cars. Fernando Alonso was third, with Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button, Daniil Kvyat, Jean-Eric Vergne and Kevin Magnussen completing the top 10.
FP2
It was a busy start to second practice for the British Grand Prix weekend, with Valtteri Bottas being the first driver to emerge from the pit lane and put in the first timed lap.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
The Finn held the top spot early on before he was displaced by the Mercedes duo. Drivers first completed running on the hard compound Pirelli tyre before switching to qualifying runs on the option rubber mid-way through the session.
It was Hamilton who topped second practice, despite losing 28 minutes of running due to an engine problem. His best lap of 1m34.508 was two tenths faster than his team-mate Nico Rosberg's best effort, with Alonso in third.
Ricciardo was fourth on the hard tyre, with Vettel and Bottas next up. The Finn lost a few minutes of track time after his engine cover seemingly exploded on the Hanger Straight. Button, Magnussen, Raikkonen and Vergne - who was forced to stop his car with a problem on the left-front wheel in the final minutes - completed the top 10.
The fans were treated to plenty of action, including several off-track excursions, as teams and drivers gathered data on both high and low fuel, as well as on the two tyre compounds.
FP3
Third and final practice for the British Grand Prix took place in damp, dull and cool conditions. It was a rather quiet start, with most of the drivers remaining in the pits in the opening few minutes.
However, when the cars did take to the circuit, it was certainly entertaining for those in the grandstands (including myself). I was sat at the International Pit Straight, near the final corner. It proved to be a tricky turn to master, with plenty of slides and off-track excursions, including a spin for Grosjean.
Vettel ended the session at the top of the timesheets with a 1m52.522, one tenth ahead of his team-mate. Ricciardo finished ahead of the two Lotus drivers, with Maldonado ahead of Grosjean. Sutil was fifth, with Sutil, Magnussen and Button. Bottas and Raikkonen completed the top 10.
Vergne and Gutierrez were 11th and 12th for Toro Rosso and Sauber respectively. Marussia suffered a difficult morning with Jules Bianchi crashing at Stowe, although his car only made light contact with the wall.
Meanwhile Max Chilton lost track time with a gearbox problem that ultimately handed him a five-place grid penalty. Hamilton and Rosberg both completed laps but failed to set a time, as did Alonso.
Qualifying
Q1
A dry line had emerged for the start of the first 18-minute qualifying session, but the majority of the drivers opted to complete a tentative installation lap on the intermediate tyres.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
However, with the circuit conditions improving, most of the field swiftly pitted for a set of slick Pirelli tyres. The times tumbled and the order constantly changed but there were also plenty of incidents as drivers pushed to the limit - including a spin for Sutil.
Williams and Ferrari left it too late to switch to dry rubber, with Bottas and Massa both missing out on making it through to the second segment. A spin for Alonso cost him a place in the next session, with Raikkonen also failing to progress, producing a surprising and shocking result.
Ericsson and Kobayashi qualified 21st and 22nd for the 2014 British Grand Prix. Rosberg was fastest with a 1m40.380, while Ricciardo and Vettel narrowly made it through.
Q2
The second session started in frantic style as the field completed a banker lap in the early stages. The intermediate compound was the tyre of choice at first due to the late rain in Q1, but the slicks were soon needed once again.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
The conditions remained difficult for the drivers, with Gutierrez backing his Sauber C33 into the wall during Q2. He ultimately set the 14th fastest time, but the Mexican dropped to the back of the grid due to a 10-place grid penalty for an unsafe pit release in Austria.
Grosjean was the first driver to lose out on a place in the top 10 shoot-out, with the Marussia duo of Bianchi and Chilton next up. However, the latter's five-place grid drop for a gearbox change will see him fall to 17th.
Maldonado finished 15th but was excluded from qualifying after the stewards failed to collect a fuel sample from his Renault-powered E22, with the Venezuelan parking his car in the closing minutes of the session.
He dropped to 20th, as the two Caterham drivers failed to set a time within 107%. Sutil failed to set a time after he beached his car in the gravel in the previous session and was classified 16th.
Q3
The top 10 shoot-out was dramatic to say the least and produced a rather unexpected result. With rain scheduled for mid-way through the session, drivers headed out in the opening stages to get a time on the board.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Hamilton took the early lead by two tenths from his team-mate Rosberg, before the field returned to the pits as the wet weather returned. However, the shower was only brief and the pack re-emerged on the slick tyres a few minutes later.
The majority of the drivers were surprised by the sudden improvement in track conditions, particularly in sector three. Hamilton chose to abort his final run - a mistake that he later owned up to - but the home favourite eventually slipped to sixth by the chequered flag.
Rosberg moved to the front with a 1m35.766, taking his fourth pole position of the season. Vettel jumped up to second, with Button improving to third. Hulkenberg and Magnussen managed to sneak ahead of Hamilton, with Perez, Ricciardo, Kvyat and Vergne rounding out the top 10.
Results:
Pos Driver Team Time Gap
1. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m35.766s
2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1m37.386s +1.620s
3. Jenson Button McLaren 1m38.200s +2.434s
4. Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1m38.329s +2.563s
5. Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1m38.417s +2.651s
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m39.232s +3.466s
7. Sergio Perez Force India 1m40.457s +4.691s
8. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1m40.606s +4.840s
9. Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1m40.707s +4.941s
10. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1m40.855s +5.089s
Q2 cut-off time: 1m38.166s Gap **
11. Romain Grosjean Lotus 1m38.496s +3.626s
12. Jules Bianchi Marussia 1m38.709s +3.839s
13. Max Chilton Marussia 1m39.800s +4.930s+
14. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1m40.912s +6.042s++
15. Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1m44.018s +9.148s+++
16. Adrian Sutil Sauber no time
Q1 cut-off time: 1m45.086s Gap *
17. Valtteri Bottas Williams 1m45.318s +4.938s
18. Felipe Massa Williams 1m45.695s +5.315s
19. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m45.935s +5.555s
20. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1m46.684s +6.304s
21. Marcus Ericsson Caterham 1m49.421s +9.041s
22. Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 1m49.625s +9.245s
+Five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change
++10-place grid penalty for an unsafe release at the last race
+++Excluded from qualifying for a technical infringement, will start 20th
The Race
Conditions were dry but rather cool for the ninth round of the 2014 season, which took place at the iconic Silverstone circuit. With it being a home race for three drivers and eight teams on the grid, the pressure was on to score a good result.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Rosberg took pole position on Saturday in what was one of the most dramatic qualifying sessions in recent F1 history. Hamilton was sixth fastest after aborting his final lap, could he make his way up the field? Read on to find out...
The revs rose, the lights went out and the race got under way. Off the line, Rosberg had a strong start and eked out a small lead on the run to turn one. Vettel and Hulkenberg both had poor getaways and dropped back, with Button, Magnussen and Hamilton moving into second, third and fourth.
Perez and Vergne collided at Abbey, which spread out the midfield and helped the likes of Bottas and Alonso to progress. Raikkonen went wide at the exit of turn five but as he returned to the track at speed, he lost control of the car after hitting a bump and spun to the right.
He made heavy contact with the barrier - the impact was registered as 47G - and spun across the track, collecting Kobayashi and Massa. The latter was forced to retire but the Caterham driver was able to continue after a trip across the grass.
I was at the race and had a great view of the chaos from the Woodcote grandstand. The red flags emerged, with the British Grand Prix being stopped for nearly an hour as the barrier was fixed - something that many complained about but was needed for the safety of the other drivers.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Following the long pause, the racing resumed behind the safety car. The Mercedes AMG SLS was out for just one lap before it released Rosberg, who made a strong jump on the chasing Button. Hamilton wasted no time in displacing Magnussen at Copse, after the Dane ran wide, and quickly set about overtaking the second McLaren.
He did so a few laps later and moved up to second. Bottas was on a charge after progressing to ninth on the opening tour. He completed several impressive moves, as did Alonso, while an attempted overtake on Maldonado by Gutierrez didn't go so well.
The Mexican made contact with the Lotus driver on lap nine as they entered Club corner, pitching Maldonado into the air. Impressively he managed to continue but Gutierrez retired on the next lap.
Rosberg pitted at the end of lap 18 for the final time, with Hamilton staying out for several tours before he took to the pit lane for fresh Pirelli rubber. The Brit incredibly took the lead a few tours later after his team-mate slowed with a gearbox problem.
The German desperately tried to continue but he was forced to retire, which cost us a great battle for the win. The crowd cheered with delight as the Brit took over the lead, dominating the rest of the British Grand Prix.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
With Hamilton extending his advantage, all eyes switched to a titanic fight for fifth place between Alonso and Vettel. The two world champions scrapped for several laps, changing positions several times before the latter eventually made the move stick and eked out a gap.
It was a fantastic battle and it largely took place around the Brooklands/Luffield section of the circuit, meaning I had a great view of it all. Maldonado was a late retirement with an exhaust issue, although he was classified in 17th.
Hamilton crossed the finish line to take a dominant victory on home soil, scoring his second victory at Silverstone. Bottas took a clear second, with Ricciardo just holding on to third after a late charge by Button.
Lewis Hamilton takes victory at the 2014 British Grand Prix
It was a brilliant result for Hamilton and a great drive, although it would have certainly been a close battle for the lead had Rosberg not retired. It helped the 2008 champion move to within four points of his team-mate in the drivers' standings, giving his title bid a boost.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Bottas drove a faultless race to secure his best ever F1 finish and his second consecutive podium after starting in 14th place, with Ricciardo completing a popular podium despite a poor grid position.
It was an emotional weekend for Button, as it was the first British Grand Prix since his father John's sad death earlier in the year. He just missed out on his first ever podium in the sport at Silverstone by nine tenths, with Vettel and Alonso next up after their strong scrap.
Magnussen finished seventh, rounding out an encouraging race for McLaren. Hulkenberg dropped to eighth and struggled to match the pace of those ahead, just holding off Kvyat. The Russian youngster finished ahead of his more experienced team-mate once again, with Vergne rounding out the top 10.
Perez recovered from his first lap clash to finish 11th, with Grosjean and Sutil next up after quiet runs to 12th and 13th respectively. Bianchi was one of the stars of qualifying but the Marussia ultimately didn't have the pace to challenge those he started ahead of.
Kobayashi took the chequered flag in 15th, with Chilton in 16th. Maldonado retired but was classified 17th. Rosberg exited the race with a gearbox issue, while Ericsson failed to finish after a suspension issue. Gutierrez retired with crash damage, as did Massa, while Raikkonen was lucky to emerge unscathed from his first lap accident.
Results - 52 laps:
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 2h26m52.094s
2. Valtteri Bottas Williams +30.135s
3. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull +46.495s
4. Jenson Button McLaren +47.390s
5. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull +53.864s
6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari +59.946s
7. Kevin Magnussen McLaren +1m02.563s
8. Nico Hulkenberg Force India +1m28.692s
9. Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso +1m29.340s
10. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso +1 lap
11. Sergio Perez Force India +1 lap
12. Romain Grosjean Lotus +1 lap
13. Adrian Sutil Sauber +1 lap
14. Jules Bianchi Marussia +1 lap
15. Kamui Kobayashi Caterham +2 laps
16. Max Chilton Marussia +2 laps
17. Pastor Maldonado Lotus +3 laps
Retirements:
Nico Rosberg Mercedes 28 laps
Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 11 laps
Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 9 laps
Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1 laps
Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 0 laps
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