logo
Hamilton aims to break podium drought at Silverstone

Hamilton aims to break podium drought at Silverstone

TimesLIVE11 hours ago
Lewis Hamilton has won a record nine times at Silverstone but arrives this year on a 13-race run without a podium, equalling the longest drought of the seven-time world champion's Formula One career.
The Briton would love to win again this weekend and end the unhappy sequence in his first race in Britain as a Ferrari driver.
'It would be a great place to be able to change that, so that's what we are working towards,' the 40-year-old told reporters on Thursday.
Hamilton's British Grand Prix record is phenomenal: on pole seven times, on the podium 14 times — the most by anyone at a home race.
Of his 105 career wins, last year's with Mercedes at Silverstone was one of the most emotional — closing a 56-race gap between wins and a wait of 945 days.
Until now Hamilton has always raced here with British teams, first McLaren and then Mercedes.
'I don't know what to expect this weekend,' he said. 'Thursday is the same as always, it's the least enjoyable day of the week and this always is the case. You just want to be in the car. I can't wait for Friday.
'I'm sure driving on track for the first time in a red car in Silverstone is going to be unique and special in its own way.
'We have the best fans here at the British Grand Prix and for a British driver they make a difference. I've shown that to you time and time again. I hope this weekend they can make a difference for us as well.'
James Vowles, the Williams team boss who previously worked with Hamilton at Mercedes, had no doubt the Briton could win on Sunday.
'He's special at Silverstone, he reacts well to local crowds and how the atmosphere is around him. Short answer, yes,' he told Reuters.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fan favourite Norris on top in second British GP practice
Fan favourite Norris on top in second British GP practice

TimesLIVE

time2 hours ago

  • TimesLIVE

Fan favourite Norris on top in second British GP practice

Fan favourite Lando Norris lapped fastest in British Grand Prix practice on Friday as an army of McLaren Formula One fans, many of them cheering from a sold-out 'Landostand', got what they wanted to see. The Briton was top of the second session with a best effort of 1:25.816 seconds, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc 0.222 slower and Lewis Hamilton 0.301 off the pace after going quickest in the first practice. McLaren's championship leader Oscar Piastri was fourth fastest with Red Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen fifth and Mercedes Kimi Antonelli, who will have a three-place grid drop for Friday's race, sixth. Lance Stroll was seventh for Aston Martin with Mercedes' George Russell eighth. Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar was ninth and teammate Liam Lawson 10th. Hamilton, last year's race winner, had raised hopes of more home heroics with the fastest lap of 1:26.892 in first practice while 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad looked strong in his debut session for Red Bull. Hamilton is on a career-low run of 13 races without a podium finish but is a record nine-time home race winner and hoping to end the drought. The seven-time world champion is racing at home in Ferrari's red colours for the first time. The Italian team have yet to win this season, the only top-four outfit yet to do so. Hamilton had not led a practice session this year before Friday, though he was fastest in Chinese sprint qualifying. Norris, winner in Austria last weekend, was 0.023 slower in session one with Piastri third.

Mercedes-AMG sends off CLA 45 S 4Matic+ with Final Edition
Mercedes-AMG sends off CLA 45 S 4Matic+ with Final Edition

TimesLIVE

time3 hours ago

  • TimesLIVE

Mercedes-AMG sends off CLA 45 S 4Matic+ with Final Edition

The Mercedes‑AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+ will be discontinued at the end of the year. To mark the occasion, Mercedes-AMG is launching a Final Edition available in both Coupé and Shooting Brake body styles, each featuring an extensive array of exterior and interior upgrades. Riding on matte black 19-inch AMG forged wheels with a cross-spoke design, the Final Edition can be ordered in either Manufaktur mountain grey magno or night black uni. Both finishes are complemented by '45 S' lettering on the doors (in black or yellow) and yellow AMG logos on the exterior mirror housings. Other sporty accents include gloss black brake calipers, a silver chrome fuel-filler cap with 'AMG' lettering, dark chrome tailpipe trims and the AMG Night Package, which adds high-gloss black treatment to the mirror caps and trim elements. Customers can further enhance the car's presence with the optional AMG Night Package II or the wind tunnel-honed AMG Aerodynamics Package. The latter adds a more aggressive front apron with a bigger splitter and extra flics, a larger AMG spoiler lip (Coupé) or roof spoiler (Shooting Brake), trailing edges near the rear apron's air outlets, and a blade-style rear diffuser — all finished in high-gloss black. Inside, the Final Edition features AMG Performance seats trimmed in a mix of black man-made leather and suede, contrasted with yellow stitching. This stitching extends to the door panels, dashboard and embroidered '45 S' emblems on the headrests, centre console and floor mats. AMG-illuminated door sills with yellow lighting round off the bespoke treatment. Powering both variants is the familiar 2.0l turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 310kW and 500Nm. Paired with an eight-speed AMG Speedshift DCT-8G dual-clutch transmission and the fully variable AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system with AMG Torque Control, the car accelerates from 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.1 seconds and tops out at 270km/h. The CLA 45 S 4Matic+ Final Edition Coupé and Shooting Brake will be available in select markets until the end of 2025. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.

‘It's very special' – Kriel on becoming Springbok captain No 67
‘It's very special' – Kriel on becoming Springbok captain No 67

The Citizen

time4 hours ago

  • The Citizen

‘It's very special' – Kriel on becoming Springbok captain No 67

Jesse Kriel becomes the 67th official Springbok captain against Italy on Saturday, and will be backed by Eben Etzebeth and Handre Pollard who have both led the Boks. Jesse Kriel is set to become the 67th official captain of the Springboks when he leads the team out against Italy at Loftus on Saturday. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images Springbok stalwart Jesse Kriel is incredibly proud to add his name to the history books when he leads the team out as the 67th official captain of the Springboks for their match against Italy at Loftus on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 5:10pm). Kriel, who led the team in the non-Test against the Barbarians in Cape Town last week after the late withdrawal of regular captain Siya Kolisi, was earlier this week confirmed to lead again with Kolisi still missing out with another injury niggle. Despite the return to the starting side of Eben Etzebeth, who has captained the team on 12 occasions, and Handre Pollard, who has led once, Kriel was still given the full backing of the coaching staff to add his name to the list of official captains. The 31-year-old Kriel is grateful for the opportunity and lists the achievement right up there, among his two Rugby World Cups, British and Irish Lions series and Rugby Championship winners' medals. 'It's obviously very special. All of those other achievements are in the past, and we have a Test match to focus on tomorrow (Saturday). I am just really excited and I am in such a fortunate position that I have such strong leaders around me,' said Kriel at Friday's pre-match press conference. 'Siya (Kolisi) has been incredible. Guys like Eben, Handre, you can go through the whole team. There's just so much experience and the guys are just so willing to help, give advice and just be there when you need to ask a question. 'So I am extremely lucky in that sense and I am very proud to lead a team in which I can honestly call a lot of the guys my best friends. It's just a really special occasion and something I am very proud of.' Soft spoken Kriel Kriel is not an outspoken person, and doesn't talk much on the field, but admits that suits him as his leadership qualities are by doing and not saying, which he will continue to embrace going forward. 'I think I have always tried to be a leader that leads by action. When you play in a team like this not much has to be said. I have had great examples from guys like Siya, and our coaching staff also lead by example in how hard they work,' explained Kriel. 'Guys like Duane (Vermeulen) when he was captain, look at Lood (de Jager), I could name everyone in the team. The guys lead by action, they work hard and they get the job done. I suppose that's the blueprint in the way that I want to lead and the way I want to go about doing things.' Kriel will be assisted in the match by Etzebeth, who has been named as vice-captain, while he also has plenty of experience around him to call upon if needed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store