Hamilton charges to Silverstone win

LewisHamilton took a brilliant victory in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone today in front of a wonderfully enthusiastic crowd.

As I write I'm currently sitting on the grass just beside Copse corner having witnessed a fantastic race that was made even better by the race winner being from the country the race was held.

The atmosphere was electric, something you cannot experience when just at home.  I urge anyone who hasn't attended a Grand Prix to do so, it is genuinely a great experience. Let me tell you now, no one cared about the noise, it's not noticeable after a few laps.

Of course it helps if the race is a cracker and this one was and also a possible game changer in the championship. With Lewis winning and Nico Rosberg suffering his first retirement of the year, the points gap is down to just four in Rosberg's favour.

Rosberg led away from pole position as Hamilton, having made another hash of qualifying charged up to fourth from sixth. Barely halfway round the opening lap, the safety car was called out and then the race stopped for a horrible accident involving Kimi Raikkonen. 

Kimi went wide on to the Wellington straight and then it just got away from him and he went smashing into the barrier and back across the track to attempt to wreck the other side. Felipe Massa in his 200th Grand Prix , had made a terrible start from his lowly grid position, saw him late and spun to avoid the out of control Ferrari.

Unfortunately for the Brazilian he tapped Kimi's car, the resulting damage meant both did not take the restart an hour later as the barrier was repaired. 

Rosberg led away again stretching a gap ahead of the two McLaren's of Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen. Lewis though began his charge immediately, cutting inside Magnussen at Copse and passing Jenson not long after. Immediately he set about closing the not insubstantial gap to Rosberg cheered on by the partisan crowd. Every lap they roared him on in his pursuit.

Rosberg pitted first, Lewis a few laps later, but had a slow stop. He began the chase again, destroying the gap to Rosberg. But as an awesome fight looked about to commence once again between the Mercedes team mates, Rosberg slowed and Lewis was through.

Nico pulled off the track and such was the pace of the Mercedes cars today, Lewis even had time to make a second stop 10 laps from home. He romped to victory, the roar of the crowd echoeing around the circuit.

I think he'd have had Rosberg today even if the German hadn't retired. It was probably due though after the retirements Lewis has had this year. Four points the difference, it's all to race for.

Lewis will be looking to push home this momentum and upset Rosberg at his home Grand Prix in Germany. It's game on again in this thrilling season.

Behind Valtteri Bottas excelled for Williams after being knocked out in Q1 on Saturday. On Sunday he inherited the title of flying Finn, charging through the field he gradually picked off the Red Bulls, and then the McLaren's and once Rosberg was out was in a lonely second place for a lot of the race. 

It was a truly starring role and belied the doubters who thought Williams wouldn't be strong at a track where good aero and downforce were things to have.

Daniel Ricciardo made his tyres last without a second stop to finish third unlike his Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel. Vettel made a poor start and then after the restart he was in the battle with Bottas and the McLaren's.

However as most others made only one stop it put Vettel out of position as he came out just ahead of Fernando Alonso, who had been given a five second penalty for over shooting his grid slot. What was to follow was an epic fight only resolved in the closing laps.

Alonso nailed him into Copse as Bettel was on cold tyres. Once those were heated up the Red Bull was all over the Ferrari, Alonso having to use all his nous in defence of what was only fifth place. There's a bit of needle between these two, so this battle was intense between these two world champions.

Vettel eventually cut underneath Alonso into luffield through the tightest of gaps, they ran alongside each other down the following straight but Alonso had to surrender into Copse, something he wouldn't have liked at all being the fighter he is. Great skill from both if them.

They finished fifth and sixth behind Button in fourth who drove a strong race and was only eight tenths off stealing Ricciardo's podium. It was a strong day for McLaren as Magnussen ended up seventh.

Hulkenberg started fourth but fell to eighth while the Toro Rosso's made poor starts but battled back to ninth and tenth with Daniil Kvyat ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne. 

Jules Bianchi deserves a mention for keeping his Marussia ahead of a train of cars for a long time after starting an incredible 12th in the mixed condition qualifying. His team mate Max Chilton deserves a mention for getting a stop/go yet still charging down the Caterham's which delighted the British supporters.

The crowd however weren't just supporting the Brits, they supported the racing, and there were lots if battles to get excited about raging all down the field.

It was a shame that we didn't get the intense battle for the lead we surely would have had, but it doesn't take away from a great drive by Hamilton. The championship lead is back within his grasp and what better place to take it than at the next race in Germany, Rosberg's home race.

But make no mistake, Rosberg will be determined to give his home fans the victory Lewis gave his.

all photo's taken from autosport.com