SPECIAL SILVERSTONE

Yes, yes I know the British GP is done and dusted. And I apologise as I should have gotten this piece posted BEFORE the race. But all is not lost, our regular guest contributor and man of wonder, Joshua Mason, has adjusted this piece to suit the time. Kind of "Back To The Future"...ish. Anyway, Lewis won! Yay! And we're still excited about that, right? Not only that, we're headed to one of Lewis' strongest tracks - Hungary. Yay! So, here he is, Joshua Mason with his excellent piece on that oldie but goodie and race-tastic circuit - Silverstone.

Last week saw our boy Lewis give a dominant display, leading from start to finish and increasing the pressure on Rosberg. The Silverstone track was, in typical British fashion, very wet, but the fans were still in good voice. The Northamptonshire track is the home of British Motorsport and by virtue, motorsport itself so what is the story behind the hallowed tarmac?

Lewis Hamilton equalled Nigel Mansell’s 4 British Grand Prix record, and with years ahead of him is likely to pass him with ease, especially if the GP stays at the track that he has always enjoyed driving. In fact most drivers love the Silverstone circuit, and this was on show last weekend. Hamilton finished 1st after starting pole, whilst Nico Rosberg had to deal with the little terrier that is Max Verstappen. The teenager chased Rosberg the whole day, and executed an excellent overtake on the famed turns. Though finally finishing second, Rosberg was penalised for a radio communication issue and Hamilton is now just 1 point away from him. The rain inevitably played its part but Hamilton said it is part and parcel of a British Grand Prix he loves "I am so grateful," said Hamilton. "We've got the best fans here, thank you so much. The good English weather came out. It was so tricky in those conditions. But that's what I love about this race - something always happens".

Silverstone is situated near the villages of Towcester and Silverstone and started life as an RAF base. The runways, as they so often do, provided some fun driving for local enthusiasts. In 1947 Maurice Geoghan and some other locals took part in a make shift race on the abandoned airfield and at some point Maurice hit a sheep who had wondered on to the track. He totalled his car, but the race became notorious as the Mutton Grand Prix thereafter. It did not take long for some brainboxes to see the potential, and it was bought and converted officially in 1948. It hosted its first Grand Prix of the Drivers’ Championship era in 1950 and started a legacy that has been unsurpassed.

Silverstone has shared a few of the Grand Prix’s with Aintree and Brands Hatch, but it has been the mainstay for the BGP. In 1990-91 it saw an overhaul of planning and the track was converted from the lightning fast early track, where drivers would take corners in fourth or fifth gear, to a more technical track. The first race on the new Silverstone was a win for Nigel Mansell in front of his home crowd, and the iconic image of him giving a lift to Ayrton Senna back to the paddock when the latter’s car ran out of fuel took place there too. Here is how the track has changed over the years:

Silverstone is known for its unpredictable weather, (well Britain is really) and it is these wet conditions that cause so much of the drama. Lewis seems to cope better than most. There is an abundance of overtaking opportunities at Silverstone with wide corners easily big enough for two cars at speeds of 170mph. Maggots-Beckett-Chapel is a rollercoaster of a right to left and even gives Eau Rouge a run for its money in my opinion.

Silverstone has a unique place in the calendar. Because most teams are based in the UK, it feels like a homecoming for the whole circus. 120,000 people are ready come rain or shine full of energy to welcome them home, and for now Lewis Hamilton sits at the top of the table. Silverstone really is in a class of its own but like Lewis my focus is on Hungary and the race for the Championship.

If you enjoyed this posting, please do share it with your network so more people can enjoy it as well. Also, check out my Formula 1 inspired designs at my online shops:

1. Hamilton Tees (fixed designs) is my online shop where you can get my Lewis Hamilton inspired designs printed on many different types of t-shirts and hoodies.

2. Lewis Hamilton T-Shirt (design your own) is a designer shop where you can get the same designs on many more products - not just t-shirts but trousers, baby bibs, mugs, phone cases, whatever is available. You can adjust the size and location of the designs, add text and customize it exactly as you see fit.

3. Lewis Hamilton Collection (fixed designs) is my fixed design shop on Redbubble where most of the phone cases are and many other products.

Support Lewis this season by owning this collection. Thank you for your support. May Lewis win his fourth world title in 2016. We win and lose together. Go Lewis!

Here is a sample.