2024 F1 British Grand Prix preview: End of triple-header

The 2024 Formula 1 World Championship heads to the U.K. this weekend for the British Grand Prix. The race, which serves as round 12 on the current calendar, marks the end of a triple-header that also included races in Austria and Spain.

The British Grand Prix’s current home is the Silverstone Circuit, an iconic circuit with several high-speed corners that get the adrenaline flowing, while the atmosphere of the huge crowds is always exciting. Many of the teams are also based nearby, making it somewhat of a home race for many.

Silverstone hosted the inaugural F1 race in 1950, but it wasn’t always the home of the British Grand Prix. The race has also been held at Aintree and Brands Hatch, though Silverstone is now the race’s permanent location. The track has undergone numerous modifications since its first race, with the most notable change occurring in 2010 when the original perimeter layout was revamped to include a new infield section.

At 3.66 miles, Silverstone is the fifth-longest track on the calendar. It was previously the fourth-longest, but the track for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at 3.8 miles has nudged it back a spot. Silverstone’s layout consists of sweeping, high-speed corners and fast straights, making it one of the quickest laps on the calendar and a popular place for drivers.

Given its high-speed nature with fast corners, brakes are not put under a great strain. Teams therefore can focus on other areas such as aerodynamics rather than brake cooling. However, drivers experience some of the highest lateral g-forces of the season, with as much as 5.2 g being experienced through Stowe (Turn 15).

Tires need to hold up from all the fast corners. As a result, Pirelli has nominated its hardest compounds, the C1, C2, and C3. Power unit performance is also important as close to 80% of a lap is taken at full throttle.

Weather can be quite changeable around Silverstone this time of year, so teams need to prepare for it. The current weather forecast calls for the possibility of some showers during Saturday’s qualifying session and light rain during Sunday’s race.

Going into the weekend, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen leads the 2024 Drivers’ Championship with 237 points. McLaren’s Lando Norris is second with 156 points and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is third with 150 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull leads with 355 points. Ferrari is second with 291 points, and McLaren is third with 268 points. Last year’s winner of the British Grand Prix was Verstappen, driving for Red Bull.